Flesh and Blood
by bloodylovely94
Summary: Ella Stackhouse has been gone for two years. Suddenly she decides to return home to Bon Temps. As soon as she arrives a few vampires become aware of her unique powers.
1. Coming Home

**Sorry that I didn't edit this sooner!**

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><p>I grew up in Bon Temps, Louisiana. My mother was a very lovely woman, my sister, wasn't as much, my grandmother was the best grandmother any child could have.<p>

My cousins Sookie and Jason, were great to hang around with. Sookie was like me, well kind of like me. She could read minds, I on the other hand had to touch someone, and when I placed my skin on theirs, I could see their whole life. Feel what they've felt in just seconds, almost like becoming the person. I hated it, knowing everything, some things I didn't understand, when I was younger. But, I didn't try to figure it out, I had my own thoughts and memories to trifle through.

These days I only had my memories of my family my lovely family, my sort of dysfunctional family. Why did I only have memories? You might ask, well let me take you back.

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><p>Hadley ran to the living room strung out on some kind of drug, like always. I had a feeling it was V this time because of how quick she got there.<p>

"Mom?" I cried out to my mother, whom was lying face down on the floor. "Turn her over!" I screamed at Hadley. Hadley shook and had tears around her black eyes as she turned mom over onto her back. The awful paleness of her face made me flinch. I had just gotten home from work when I saw mom lying there.

"She's all stiff." Hadley muttered. "Fuck." I spat and kneeled down to her. I felt her face, tears streamed down my cold cheeks. She was like ice, her blood frozen in her veins, her heart never to beat again. Rigor mortis had set in, she'd been there for a while. I turned to Hadley.

"Where the fuck were you?" I growled her way. Her eyes narrowed and she frowned. "I was up in my room." She mumbled. "You were supposed to be taking care of her!" I shook while I screamed. Hadley looked frightened. I went for her throat. When I got hold of her I saw her having sex with some woman, them taking V together. I felt the high, it was numbing and electrifying.

I heard them laughing, I also heard in the background my mother calling for help. When I resurfaced I gripped her tight. She coughed and gagged, I was so angry, so jilted by my own sister. She pushed me off, V made her strong, she kicked me in the stomach with an amazing force.

The pain kept me still for a good minute. She grabbed the telephone in the kitchen and dialed a number while I got to my feet. "Grand, you got to get down here mom's dead and Ella is trying to kill me!" She cried into the receiver. I pushed the phone to the floor and got a handful of her blond hair. I pulled her down and brought my fist down onto her face. I saw red.

"I hate you Hadley your fucking useless! You killed her!" I felt my knuckles tear as blood stained Hadley's face. The whole time I could feel the pain I gave to her. After the seventh hit I was being pulled off of my sister. I heard Andy Bellefleur. "Girl stop! Now!" I thrashed for all of ten seconds before I saw the lifeless body on the floor through Andy's memory. My mother.

"Now, you sit right down, if you move an inch I'll put these cuffs on ya!" He told me, and sat me down on the kitchen chair next to the phone. Tears fell and I shook my head trying to stop everything, but it went on. Life left my mother behind, not halting for the smallest second.

Andy bent down to Hadley she was wiping the blood off of her face. She sat up and gave me the finger. I looked away. Her face was hardly hurt. "Can you stand?" Andy asked her. "Yeah." She said and I suppose she did, I wasn't watching, I couldn't.

Then I heard my grandma, and my cousins. Grandma Adele came in, her face fresh with tears, Sookie was frowning and shaking her head, Jason doing the same. Sookie could hear me, I knew she could, she came to sit beside me. She placed her hand on mine, she was recalling how she found out that her parents were dead.

"Honey, are you alright?" Gran asked me. I stood and hugged her hard. "Hadley was here, she was supposed to look after her." I cried, gran understood, I could feel it. "Jason, take Ella home." She said to him, he nodded and waited for me.

When we got to the truck I got in and shut the door. Jason walked around and got into the drivers seat. It started to rain as we drove down the bumpy dirt roads. "You okay over there kid?" He asked me, I rubbed my face. "Not really." I said quietly. "It'll all get better." He told me, and he must of known.

His parents both died when he was quite young. I wiped my eyes of tears and sniffed. I was done crying. "I hope so." I mumbled about the time that we pulled up to grandma's house, the white two story house that was on it's own large piece of land.

Jason jumped out and came around to my side. I got out and went up to the house. By the time I reached the porch I was soaked. Jason was too, it was raining pretty hard. Jason opened the door and ran to the front hall closet, he pulled out two towels and threw one my way. I caught it and dried myself.

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><p>That night I didn't sleep. I called the small antique store I worked at and quit. Grandma told me the next morning at breakfast that it was natural causes. Hadley was in jail for the night for illegal drug possession. Sookie told me that gran would pay for rehab for Hadley, I couldn't care less.<p>

After they ate Sookie took a walk with me, we talked about her job, and how she thought her boss was in love with her. Anything to keep my mind off of my mom. The next day was the same as that one. Then it was my last day in Bon Temps. It was the day of my mother's funeral.

Hadley was there, wearing a very short black dress, looking a little better. "I'm sorry I hit you." I told her, and that was the last thing I said to her. After the service we all walked to the graveyard.

The day was bright and warm, I hated it. As the casket lowered into the ground I got up and left, no one followed. I was okay with that, when I got to grandma's house I packed my bags and called a taxi. When it got there I threw my bags in the trunk and got in the backseat. Then I said good bye to Bon Temps.

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><p><strong>Two Years Later<strong>

The alarm rang for me to go to work. It was 4am and I had been awake for two hours. I had gotten an hour of sleep which was great, for me at least. I got up and went to my bathroom, I dressed in my diner uniform and fixed my hair. When I was finished I looked in the mirror.

My pale face was thin and lightly freckled. My light brown hair was shoulder length and my bangs were swept to the side. My hazel eyes looked drowsy. I walked out the door of my shitty apartment. I locked up and turned to see a shockingly white man behind me.

After a few seconds I realized it was just Daniel who lived behind the apartments. He was a vampire and had a creepy obsession with me, but he was virtually harmless since he couldn't glamour me. "Hey Daniel." I said, he nodded. "Hello, Miss Ella." He smirked. Daniel was very beautiful, I suppose all vampires kind of are. He met me almost every morning before I left for work. I hadn't seen him in about a week, I thought he had moved on.

"So, I know something about you." He said while he sat on the railing that looked over the parking lot. "What is that?" I asked him while I walked on. He giggled and ran to stand in front of me. "You're from Bon Temps." He smiled at me. "How'd you know that?" I asked him.

"Well, I recently went out there to see my sheriff, stopped by a little bar, there was a girl that smelt just like you. Her last name is Stackhouse too." His cockney accent came out. I rolled my eyes at him and pushed past him.

I got to my beat up little VW rabbit. He was leaning against it all of a sudden. "You know, you really should get in your hole, the sun is about to come up." I told him while I unlocked my driver door.

"Honey when will you realize you want me to bite you?" He asked close to my ear. "Never." I huffed and got in my car. He was standing at my door, I cranked up and he was gone. I sighed out in relief. I hated being hassled by dead guys. It happened enough at the bar.

I put my bag in the backseat and started to Shreveport. In the last two years I moved from New Orleans, to Queensborough, then to Blanchard. I worked two jobs in Shreveport. In the mornings I worked in the diner, and in the evenings I worked at a bar.

The morning was approaching fast. I pulled into the parking lot of Daisy's diner and got out. The back door was open, which meant I was late, again. May popped her head out. "He ain't happy, doll." She called, I shrugged when was Mr. Daisy ever happy?

"I figured as much May." I said and walked into the small hot space. May's makeup was running, I walked to Mr. Daisy's office and knocked on the closed door. He opened it and said two words to me. "You're fired." Then he closed the door. Well. I walked out and left.

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><p>When I got back home, I thought about Sookie, and gran, and Jason, and even Hadley. Had they missed me? I had missed them. I dressed in jeans and a long white t-shirt. I'd drive down to Bon Temps, see how everyone was doing. Maybe kick it for a few days, maybe even stay. Just in case I packed all of my things, which wasn't much. I threw my bags in my back seat and started up the car.<p>

The drive wasn't that long but I stopped for gas and snacks about four times, and when I actually reached Bon Temps I stopped at Merlotte's. I could see Arlene working and Sam manning the bar. I saw Lafayette in the kitchen. I got out of my car and went in, feeling pretty hungry. It was about 5 in the afternoon.

When I walked in, I didn't expect anyone to recognize me. I had changed in the last two years. "I'll be with you in a minute honey." Arlene said. "No, I'll take this one Arlene." Sam said, Arlene nodded. Then Sam came my way, he had a smile on his stubbly face. "Hey there. What'll you like?" He asked.

"Actually, I'll take a sweet tea, and um, is Sookie working tonight?" I asked him, he raised his brows at me. "Sookie?" I nodded to answer his question. "Well she has the night off." He said, I nodded. He left and came back with my sweet tea. I took out a ten dollar bill. "No, it's on the house." He said. "Well this is a donation then." I muttered before he gave me a sideways smile and left.

I drank my sweet tea and left a five dollar tip. I knew how hard it was to work in a bar and grill. Sucky tippers made me angry. I got in my car and drove off. The road to Grandma's was as bumpy as always. When I pulled up I saw the house, I felt warm. Butterflies fluttered against the walls of my stomach. I practically jumped out of my car and I ran to the door. I knocked on the door rapidly, Tara answered.

"Hey, Tara." I said, she looked at me for a second. "Ella?" She asked, I nodded. "Wow, you've grown up. A lot." She said, and moved from the door. I walked in to see Sookie standing in the doorway. "Hey Sook." She ran up to me and hugged me tightly. "Hey Ella."

Her neck touched mine and I saw grandma, lying in a pool of her own blood. A man named Rene killed her, Sookie killed Rene. Sam was a shape shifter, Sookie was in love with a vampire named Bill. Jason was blamed for murders, but it was really Rene. Jason found god and went to some camp. Sookie was almost killed by something in the woods only a few nights ago. Another sexy vampire helped her, Eric was his name. There was so much that had happened it knocked me down.

I fell flat on my back, my breath rushed out of me for a short second. When I got back up I looked to Sookie then to Tara. "I'm fine, just kind of overloaded on the information." The shock of Adele's death took me by surprise the most. She was gone, god.

"Well, I gotta go, I'm meeting Marryann for dinner." Sookie nodded and was about to grab my hand. "Don't touch me, please, I don't want to see that again." I said the nicest way I could. "It's okay I understand. Guess I don't have to explain anything then." I shook my head to tell her no.

"She's in heaven now Ell." She said making that face she always did when she was sure of something. I nodded and sat down on the couch. "I missed you guys." I whispered and Sookie sat next to me. "We all missed you too." She said.

"I'm going over to Bill's, you want to come?" She offered. "Your sexy vampire boyfriend's? Of course." I said, she smirked. "Are you driving or am I?" I asked her, she shook her head. "His house is just through the graveyard." We used to walk that way all the time.

This night was a lovely one, the stars filled the sky and the moon was full and shining bright. When we reached the Compton house, it stood tall and dankly. We walked up onto the creaky porch and Sookie just went in. A red headed girl sat on the couch looking pale and bored. She jumped up and I realized she was a vampire.

"Hey Sookie!" She said. "Hey Jessica, this is my cousin Ella." Sookie told her. Jessica turned to me with a smile, we were about the same age, well she was changed at about my age, which was eighteen years old. Bill came down the stairs, and gave Sookie a kiss. "Ella, nice to meet you." He was kind and very handsome, good job Sook.

"Nice to meet you both." I said to both of the vampires. "We need to go see Eric." Bill said, I recalled the tall blond Viking from Sookie's memories. Who was quite sexy. "Can Ella come?" Sookie asked with a small smile at me. "Sure." Then we were on our way to Fangtasia which looked like an awful place from Sookie's memory, only because that's where she had almost died not once but twice.

I felt like I was on a rollercoaster going every which way. I seemed to have came back home on a very busy night. The ride there was almost completely silent until Bill spoke.

"Now, Eric can be quite…irrevocable." He said. "Tell me about it." Me and Sook said together. "So, what Sookie said was true? You can touch someone and see their memories?" He asked. "Well, to put it bluntly, yeah." I said and leaned back in my seat.

When we arrived at Fangtasia I saw the red neon lights reflect off the window. There was a blond woman standing at the front door wearing a trailing black gown. It looked almost cliché for a vampire joint. When we got to the door, I could see the blond woman more closely, she was very pretty. "Pam." Bill spoke to her giving her a nod. "You're here to see Eric." She stated as if she knew for sure. "We're about to close go on in." She stopped me though.

"You smell lovely, how old are you?" She snapped. "I'm eighteen." I said. "Just right, ID?" I took my card out of my pocket. She looked at it. "Ella Stackhouse, go in." She was giving me a creepy smile, one that a guy would give me. I went in after Sookie and Bill.

We sat at a booth for a long while. I watched as the fangbangers scattered to be the last call for drinks. Just begging vampires to take them home and rip their throats out. They made me think of Hadley. After everyone left, Pam walked up flashing a malicious grin. She was very pretty, but seemed to be quite the opposite, attitude wise.

When Eric came into the room everyone knew it, there was an aura about him, he was masterly. I could feel my face flush of all color when he looked straight at me.

"Hello." He said, I tried not to stare. "Who's this?" Eric asked Pam, she chuckled. "This is young Ella Stackhouse. Sookie's cousin." She huffed the last part. I looked at him then, really made eye contact. It was so intense that I didn't even realize he was moving to touch my hand.

When he did everything was kind of blurry, I felt cold, strong, and hungry. There were small lifeless flashes of blood running down pure white skin, baby blue irises twitching as their owners died. It was awful. I drew back hitting my head on the wall.

"Uh, fuck. Shit." I spat, the pain was stinging and the images kept flashing. "What was that?" Eric asked, he sounded more interested and calm then worried and disturbed. Sookie put her hand on my shoulder. 'Leave, leave, just say you feel sick. Go outside!' She was thinking urgently.

I stood and rubbed the back of my head which was starting to bleed. "I don't feel so well." I said, Eric looked at me, I didn't want him to but he did. "What is she?" He asked Bill this time who twitched his lip for a short second, then he answered truthfully. "Bill." Sookie warned, but he paid no attention. "I have too." He whispered to her.

"Well, she is similar to Sookie." Bill said, Eric stared straight at me with narrowed eyes. "Similar." He played with the word, letting it fall off of his tongue. "Yes, she can touch someone's skin and see their memories." Eric's eyes widened in surprise, it was an odd look on him.

"Wow." He breathed and a second passed of him staring, then he was next to me lifting his hand to my face. I moved out of the way. "Don't do that." I was angry, I'd have to admit that. "Well, why not?" He was amused. "Because your memories are disgusting." I muttered looking away from him.

"My memories?" He marveled over it for a few seconds backing up to stand next to Bill. "A vampire's memories?" He asked lowly. I nodded. "You can see vampire's memories." He stalked around keeping his eyes on mine.

"It seems only the ones you'd like to share, your surface memories to be exact. Or what you're thinking or feeling at that moment. When you grabbed my hand you were feeling hungry, and thinking of, I think her name was Dahlia, with blue eyes. She kind of looked like me, was about my age. Didn't smell as good as me though." I quoted him, and that made him stop.

Pam stared wide eyed and so did Bill. Sookie seemed neutral. Eric smiled then, looked from Pam to Bill. "Can I leave now?" I asked, Bill came to me then. "Eric, wants help with something." Eric walked a little closer. "If you agree I'll pay you handsomely." That changed things. If I had money, I could go farther from this damn place. Bon Temps only held awful things for me. I nodded.

"Okay, what do you need?" I asked him, he smiled. Bill moved back and put his arm around Sookie. "You'll need to help find a vampire by the name of Godric, we believe he is being held in Dallas, Texas." Eric got right down to business. "Sounds easy enough." I said sarcastically and moved my head to the side.

"You really expect a human to just walk into someone's place, that is strong enough to hold a vampire, mind you. Then release said vampire, and still expect me to walk out." I paced biting my thumbnail.

"Or, or you just don't care if I walk out? Who am I kidding of course you don't. You're a vampire." A vampire that wants something. "It's not as horrible as you think." Eric said completely calm.

When I looked at him he was sitting in a chair that resembled a throne. This place was beyond cliché. "Oh?" I said sarcastically. "It's a church." He said bluntly, I gave him a skeptical look. "A church?" I asked, he nodded. I'd take his word because I found him to be lovely. I knew he was evil, a monster. But, how could I resist him?

"Fine." I huffed and dropped my whole case. "Terrific." He purred and gave Bill a nod. He really thought of himself as a king. Bill was one of his loyal subjects. Bill took Sookie by her hand and walked to the door. I walked behind them and looked back to Eric. He was staring at me with intense interest.

When I got to the car Sookie was sighing like an old woman. "How could you Bill?" She asked. I was reluctant to get into the car. I hated being observant to fights between couples. It happened so many times while I was waiting on tables at the bar. It made me fairly uncomfortable.

"He's my sheriff Sookie, I couldn't just lie to him. I'm sorry." He sounded truly sorry. "Sook, it's okay really. Big blond vampires don't scare me." I smiled at her, she fell for my mask. I was proud of my poker face it helped me throughout my life greatly.

Sookie got into the car looking pacified. Bill smiled at me and nodded. I suppose he was thanking me. We drove home in silence, I watched as Bill would put his hand on the armrest and Sookie would place hers in his. It really seemed like love to me. I wouldn't know, I've never been in love. Therefore I wasn't sure if love really existed. But when I looked at the two old souls in the front seat I assumed it would have to be true.


	2. Belonging

When we pulled up to Sook's house I got out, I'd leave them alone for a while. When I went into the front door I saw Bill open Sookie's door for her. Old fashioned romance made my heart flutter. I smiled and went into the kitchen.

I realized I felt at home, really at home in the house my grandmother died in, in the kitchen my grandma bled out in. The house I hadn't seen in two years. But the memories were so strong, us having dinner here so many times. Grandma making breakfast the morning I left. My thoughts fell over the subject of my own memories. Why were they so damn clear? Was that part of my powers or was it the strong feeling of missing this life? This terrible, and lovely life here in Bon Temps. With what family I had left.

I saw a whole chicken in the sink, Sookie was going to make dinner. I hadn't had a home cooked meal in so long I jumped ahead of the track. I fished around in the cabinet for a large pan. When I found it I placed the chicken on the pan and heated the oven. I knew how to cook, but I had nothing in my apartment but a microwave and a small fridge. I usually just ordered stuff or ate out. I heard Sookie come in, Bill must've went home. "Hey, are you cooking for me?" She asked with a smile. "I was just getting things started." I laughed nervously. "Well, while the chicken cooks, you can take your things to the guest room." Sookie said, she seemed excited. "You're staying right?" She questioned, sounding worried. "Yes, I guess I am." She smiled widely.

I went outside to get my bags I saw something in the woods. A person, a woman. But she just disappeared, I shook my head, I needed some down time. I got my bags and went into the house. Sookie was sitting on the couch. I went up the stairs and passed Gran's room it felt odd to just not see her around the house doing something, cleaning or cooking or just sitting down reading a book. I missed her so much. I put my bags down in front of the window that looked over the backyard and went back downstairs. Sookie patted the seat next to her. "Are you worried about the Dallas thing?" She asked me, and I shook my head. I really wasn't. "Bill told me we'll leave tomorrow night." I nodded. The rest of the night we talked about her work, about Jason, about Bill, and Jessica. But she never mentioned Eric, I assumed that was because she didn't care for him. Or she feared him.

When I got up I saw the stream of light from the window hit the wall next to me. It was about six o'clock in the morning, and I went to sleep at twelve o'clock last night. It had been the longest I slept since I left. I needed to be here, that was evident. Sookie came into my room after knocking, that was what woke me up. "Hey, you wanna come down to Merlotte's with me?" She asked, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. "Yes, I do." I yawned. "Okay." Sookie said smiling, she left me. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, and fixed my hair, then I got dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans. When I was finished I walked down the stairs to see Sookie in a yellow dress. She was such a country girl. I hadn't worn a dress in years. "You look real pretty." Sookie said as we walked out the door. "So do you, Sook." I smiled as we got into her small yellow car.

As we drove we talked. "So where were you staying?" Sookie asked me. "I was staying in a apartment in Blanchard just outside of Shreveport." I told her while I watched the trees blur. "Oh, where were you working?" "Daisy's diner, and Keller's Bar and Grill." I said. "Hey, if your staying you should ask Sam for a job, of course after we get back from Dallas." She looked away on that note. We pulled into the gravel parking lot of Merlotte's I saw Hoyt's truck and looked at Sook. "How's Hoyt been?" I asked her, she smiled. "He's fine, I'm sure he'll be surprised to see you." She chuckled.

Me and Hoyt were kind of best friends except I think he liked me a little to much to be friends. Sookie nudged me when we went in the door. "I'm going to find Sam." I nodded and looked around for Hoyt, he was sitting at the bar drinking a beer. I walked up and sat next to him. Tara was bartending and Arlene was waiting tables. "Hey Ella, what can I get ya?" Tara asked. Hoyt turned to me then. "Just a water." I said, Tara nodded. I glanced at Hoyt with a smile. "Ella? Ella Stackhouse?" Hoyt was grinning from ear to ear. "Hoyt. Hoyt Fortenberry." I smirked. "You look different." He said and got up. He was a bit taller than I remembered. "You look taller." I stood up to hug him, he squeezed me and I squeezed back. "How's your mom?" I asked him, he laughed. "Controlling as always." He sighed, I nodded. We sat back down. "Where the hell have you been?" He asked me. "A few places." I said, he chuckled and took a sip of beer. "What have you been up to?" I asked him. "I met a girl." He said, and he sounded smitten. "Who is she?" I asked, he wiped his face and grinned. "Her name is Jessica." He leaned in close. "She's a vampire." He said. So he was dating Jessica, I was happy for him. I punched his shoulder. "Lucky guy." I said, he blushed and laughed a bit. "My mom hates it." He laughed, I laughed with him.

Sam and Sookie came in then. Sam was frustrated he wiped out a few glasses while Sookie talked to him. Then a tall, striking woman walked in. Hoyt turned to stare at her, and so did everyone else in the bar. "Marryann hey." Tara called. Sam looked angry. "Sookie, this is Marryann. Marryann, this is Sookie, and Sookie's cousin Ella." She introduced her. Marryann had something about her, I didn't understand her. "Hello Sookie, hello Ella." She held out her hand and I took it. I was curious about her. As soon as we touched. Her memories were fuzzy, almost like a vampire's. I saw naked bodies, black eyes looking up to me, a knife piercing skin, dark blood dripping from a gleaming blade and Sam, but younger. I felt my body shudder, I felt love undying love. I took my hand back and put on my poker face. Tara said goodbye and they left together. I turned back to Hoyt who seemed to have not noticed his drooling stare. "Well, it was good seeing you Hoyt, good luck with Jessica." I said, he grinned his big goofy grin and I hugged him. "Bye Ell." He whispered as I hugged him. It was funny, that we had hugged twice and our skin didn't touch, it was almost a normal reunion. I waved goodbye to him and walked out with Sookie. We got in the car and she smiled at me, but it was halfhearted, that was completely different. "What is it?" I asked her and after a second I realized she must've heard something from Maryann, I know I saw something. "That woman, did you see anything?" She sounded confused. "Well, yes. It was weird, kind of blurry like a vampire's memories or feelings. But there were naked people and black eyes." I didn't want to frighten her over what just might be a seriously fucked up thinker, so I left the other parts out.

We went home -I loved calling it that- and had lunch. After lunch we went for a walk through the cemetery. It was a very quite day, kind of sunless and windy. "Have you heard from Hadley?" I asked her letting the question I had been trying to keep concealed out. "No, she split after gran paid for her rehab. I'm pretty sure she's using again." Sookie was straightforward about things it was her personality and I liked that about her, because I was the same way. "Are you worried about tonight?" I asked while I watched the old rusted metal fence curve with the ground as we walked on. "Not if I have Bill there with me." She smiled at the mere thought of him. "Are you?" She added sounded serious. "No, I've learned to take good care of myself." I said, recalling all the nights I was nearly robbed by strangers at least three times on my way home at the early hours of morning. It was very hard when I was only sixteen years old in New Orleans being followed by vampires. I shivered at the thought. "It's almost five. We should get home and pack." Sookie said. "I'm already packed." I chuckled. Sookie nudged me and we turned back towards _home_.

When we returned it was about five thirty. Sookie went up to her room to pack and I just went outside and sat on the front porch swing. I sat back feeling lazy in the summer wind. Then I laid on my side and swung easily. It was a great feeling to be back and to feel drowsy. Before I dreaded sleep, the nightmares it would bring the feeling of falling. It was awful. Bon Temps had dealt me bad hands but, I loved it, I belonged there.


	3. New Places

"Wake up." Sookie was laughing, I was drooling. The cool summer night had set in while I slumbered. "Oh hey Sook." I said while I wiped my mouth dry with the back of my hand. Bill was standing beside Sookie with an amused smile on his pale face. "Are you ready?" She asked, I nodded and sat up.

My body felt cold, my skin was especially white. "I'll just go upstairs and get my bags." I said, Sookie nodded. I ran up the stairs and went over to the window I grabbed my bags and glanced out onto the back yard for just a second. But, I had seen someone, I looked back. Next to the shed there was the woman, again. She looked beautiful. Dark hair, perfectly ivory skin, striking blue eyes. She was staring up at me with a bright smile. I blinked and she was gone. '_Wow you're really going insane.' _I said to myself. Maybe I was going crazy. Jessica drove us in Bill's car to the airport. Me and Sookie would be sitting next to each other on the plane while Bill rode in one of the portable coffins. The plane ride was long and boring. I took a small paperback novel out of my bag and finished it for the third time.

When we landed we were ushered to a limo. Sookie looked to me she grabbed my arm for a second. She was hearing a man's thoughts. "_Oh god, okay I have to get the girls, the blond one, and the fangbanger, I think. And take them to Mr. Newlin._" Then the man walked out. I stared him down. "Ya'll come with me." He grabbed Sookie by the arm. He was nervous. I pushed him away from her, he turned back and was about to hit me in the face when Bill pushed him to the ground. It was the first time I had seen his fangs, they shined in the pale light like jagged pearls. "Who are you?" Bill growled. "I-I ain't telling y-you nothin v-vamp scum!" He stuttered out of shear horror. It was almost like he'd never seen a vampire before. Bill got up and picked the man up with ease. I grabbed his hand. His name was Josh, and he had never seen a vampire in his life, he was terrified of Bill. They knew Sookie and I were coming, there was someone giving them information. Steve Newlin was angry that we were going to mess up the burning of the vampire. I pulled my hand back. "They knew we were coming. Steve Newlin is going to force Godric to meet the sun." Bill nodded and looked at the man. "Look at me." Bill turned to me. "What is his name?" Bill asked. "His name is Josh." I answered. Bill turned back to him. "Josh, look into my eyes." Bill sounded seductive and unfathomable. As Josh turned to him Bill smiled, he seemed to be nothing more than a sweet trustworthy man. "You were coming to abduct the two girls, but, it looks as if they didn't make it." Bill's voice was almost enough to put anyone in a trance. "Oh golly, Mr. Newlin is going to be so mad. He'll tear me a new one." Josh said slowly. Bill drew back and turned to us. "Let's go." He said, we went to the rental car and got in.

Bill drove us to a hotel. I slid out of the backseat to marvel at the large building. "Nice." I said, Sookie was standing next to me. "Isn't it?" She agreed. A man about my age, maybe a few years older was loading our luggage onto a rolling cart. Bill got out of the car and stood next to Sook. To everyone else we must've looked like a weird bunch. A vampire, a southern belle, and some pale girl. "Welcome to Hotel Carmilla, sir! My name is Barry and I'll be your porter." The boy was falsely cheerful, that was easy to see. Put into other words, he was no fangbanger. Sookie tensed beside me, but her face was happy. I just let it go for the moment. "I'll just follow you with your luggage." The guy said.

When we got into the lobby I mused at the cliché vampire things all about the lobby. Red furniture, matched with black carpet. Fangbangers seated next to their vamp-daddies, or whatever you'd call them. Bill and Sookie had gotten away from me and were talking to a tall, skinny lady. She was everything you'd imagine a vampire to be. Her hair was brown and in a long braid, and her eyes were beautiful. She looked amazingly bored. As soon as she left I walked over. "Who was that?" I asked. Bill pursed his lips for a moment. "That was Isabel Beaumont." He said flatly, I nodded and left it at that.

My room was next to Bill and Sookie's. Barry gave them their luggage first then he followed me into my room. When I walked in I raised a brow. It was nice, very nice. "Swanky." I mused. Barry was standing at the door. "You can just put the bags wherever you feel the need to." I said. He looked at me with significant wonder. He walked in to put them beside the couch. Looking to me for consideration. I nodded and he sat them down. "Your tense." I said while I fished around in my jean pockets for a tip. He swallowed nervously. "Yeah, working with vampires makes me kind of uneasy." He sighed. I pulled out a ten dollar bill and looked at him. "That's kind of weird." I said while I flattened the bill in my hand. He shrugged nervously. "I mean your working in a vampire hotel and all." I spoke quietly. "Yeah, it's a funny story." He said and shrugged once more. I handed him the ten dollar bill and clicked my tongue. "Thank you for bringing my bags up." I said, he laughed a small nervous laugh. "What?" I asked. "No one ever thanks me is all. It's my job." He shrugged looking abashed. "Well then, thank you for doing your job." I laughed. "Your welcome." He smiled and went on his way.

I felt…sleepy. It still surprised me, it was a natural human need. But it was normal for me for the past two years to avoid sleep. But, now, I was sleepy. I fell onto the large soft bed and drifted away.

When I awoke it was dark, still dark? I got up and looked at the window, it was sealed off. Oh, a vampire hotel, no sunlight during the day, of course. I nodded to myself and checked my cell-phone it was actually three-twenty-seven in the afternoon. I went to the bathroom that was in the room and I closed the door behind me. As I looked into the mirror I saw my face, my slim cheeks and my eyes with their dark circles around them. My colorless skin and my red lips. I stuck my tongue out at myself and went back out into the small stylish living room. My bags were where Barry had left them. I opened my clothes bag and pulled out teal v-neck and some tight legged jeans.

I went back into the bathroom and showered. As I stood naked under the warm stream of water I thought of Eric. His memories really frightened me, but, he was something altogether different from what I had seen. He was a calm, confident, and controlled specimen. In his memories, he was vengeful, hungry, enraged, and afraid. This Eric Northman was very complex, and very unpredictable. As I dressed I felt my legs buckle. It was almost as if a weight was pressing down on me.

"_This is our basement." A skinny man with disgustingly proper hair smiled at me. Sookie grabbed my arm. He was thinking awful things. "I'm sort of claustrophobic." Sookie said, but he didn't listen or care. I thought frantically to Sookie. 'Run, please run. I'll hold them off.' She wouldn't budge and told me so right then and there. 'Okay we'll run together…now!' As we tried to get away strong hands seized me._

I took a long breath in. It was like some kind of blackout or dream. But, I was awake and fully aware. It scared me tremendously. I coughed for a long second, unsure of myself. I didn't know what to do. I was wonderstruck by the questioning of my sanity. Someone was knocking on my door, I was only in my bra and panties, but in my thoughtless haze I answered the door anyway. It was Sookie and some slim geeky looking guy. Sookie's eyes went wide, but the man seemed neutral. Sookie came in and so did the man. The man closed the door and Sookie walked with me into my room.

She closed the door and looked over at me with worry on her clear face. "You look like you've seen a ghost." She said. "Something much more peculiar." I sighed. Sookie shook her head and pulled a light blue dress out of her purse and a matching headband. She handed them to me and shooed me wordlessly to the bathroom. I dressed reluctantly and put a bit of baby blue eye shadow on my lids. I looked like a child going to church. Then I realized it was time to go to the church. It seemed like it was happening pretty fast.

When I walked back out I did a small wry turn for Sookie. She beamed at me. "You look so pretty." She said. "So who's the dude?" I asked her. "His name is Hugo, he will be my fiancé." She said. "Oh, didn't know you two were so serious." I mumbled my stupid joke to cover up my worried feelings. "You're going to play my happy-go-lucky, and very religious sister." She said as we walked out. I nodded as if I had done this every day of my life. "Hello soon to be brother-in-law." I smiled at Hugo, testing my weak character. He chuckled and his face went straight as soon as he went silent. There was something off about him, I just couldn't put my finger on what it was.

We left the hotel and got into Hugo's car. As we drove to the church I grilled Sookie. "So want to tell me when the plans were made." I asked her looking at her through the mirror. "Well, last night. Bill said not to get you. He said it'd be boring and he also said that Eric didn't want you there." Sookie said with a slight yawn, it was apparent she didn't get much sleep last night. "Well, Eric can bite my butt." I said childishly. As we pulled to a stop I looked up. The church was huge, something of a masterpiece. They must've been doing quite well in the worshipping god business.

A young blond lady met us in the lot. "Hey there!" She called out in a perky southern accent. Her blond hair looked that of a Barbie's. What I mean by that, was that she had enough hairspray in it to look as fake as her nails. I wore a false yet believable smile on my face. "You look even more pretty in person." Sookie was doting while I looked off across the lot. Thank you and look as pretty as a Georgia peach yourself." The fake woman giggled. "What can I do for ya'll?" I looked back with my stressed smile. "My fiancée, and I wanted to see your beautiful church." Hugo said. "We're getting married." Sookie added like a lovely little housewife. "That's just great." The woman purred. I felt I needed to add. "Hope, god sends me that right person as well. My sister here was always the first at everything." I gave myself a little more of a country twang than I originally had which was hardly any. "Girl, me and my sister were the same way." The woman laughed. "Come on, you three. Our church is one of the best in Dallas, especially for marriages. Oh and I'm Sarah Newlin by the way." She laughed.

Every time she turned to us I made sure I brightened my smile even more. She went on explaining the church and it's history. I paid no attention, my thoughts roamed over to none other than Eric. Why couldn't he come and get this vampire himself? These people weren't that scary at all. If anything they were scary in a fashion sense sort of way, but I think a very old vampire has seen enough fashion disaster to withstand this. It couldn't be true that a vampire can't pass on holy ground if there was one holed up in here somewhere.

"My husband would love to meet ya'll." She grinned stupidly. Steve Newlin I assumed. Maybe he was scary. As we walked into the hall Sarah tapped on the door to an office with the name Steven Newlin on the door. "Come on in." He called, when we got into his large office I saw the man I had seen earlier in the dream-thing. My body went rigid for a second. My insides turned to jelly while I reinforced my outside mask, smile Ella. Look happy and dumb. When I was sure I was okay I stepped into better view of Steve.

There was also another man, a large bald man wearing a t-shirt with a large sun on it. Under it said: _Fellowship Of The Sun!_ He measured us all up in his snide way. He stood and shook Hugo's hand. "Steve Newlin, you?" He asked. "Hugo Ayres." He said, and I thought to myself why the hell would he use his real name? "And this is Marigold and Sally." I had to think for a second about who was Marigold and who was Sally. I concluded that I would be Sally when Steve shook Sookie's hand and said. "Nice to meet you Marigold." Sookie peeped with a sweet. "You too." Then he came to me, it was my big time, my moment. He put his hand over mine eagerly. I saw Godric, I saw Jason, whom Steve knew well. I saw a weird stage with a huge crucifix sort of thing on it that Steve associated with meeting the sun. I pulled back my hand. "Nice to meet you Sally." He said with a sick smile. "Nice to meet you to Mr. Newlin." He moved close to his desk and looked back at me. "Please call me Steve." He insisted. Then he walked to the door. "Let's finish the tour, shall we?" Hugo nodded and we followed. I was waiting for all of it to end so I could just go back to cozy little Bon Temps, with less pressuring religious figures.


	4. Not a Drop Of Blood

"The last thing we have to show you guys would have to be the basement." Sarah cheered, she was delusional. I tensed when I heard _**basement**_. I realized the huge man wasn't far behind us. When we stopped at another corridor I recognized it from the thing I had seen. Then like déjà vu it happened. "This is our basement." Steve Newlin said with a large smile. Sookie grabbed my arm. He was thinking awful things. I thought frantically to Sookie. 'Run, please run. I'll hold them off.' She wouldn't budge and told me so right then and there. 'Okay we'll run together…now!' As we tried to get away strong hands seized me. It was the huge guy that drug me down, I kicked and screamed all the way down. Sookie was being drug down by Steve Newlin himself. "Let go of me you disgusting oaf!" I screamed letting the fake country twang fall from my voice. The charade was over, I was sure of that. When we got all the way down there was a small fenced in area. I would've laughed if I wasn't trying so desperately to get away from the man that was crushing the life out of me. It was just so funny, a small fenced in area, like a dog pen.

The man pushed me in and then helped Steve with Sookie, who was just being pushed up against the wall while I was being handled. Then I realized Hugo was hardly being touched by Steve that whole time. I backed up while the man threw Sookie into the fence and Steve handed Hugo over. I'd wait until the men left and I would get to know Hugo a little better. "Please don't leave us in here!" Hugo pleaded weakly. I raised a brow at him. "Gabe you stay here." Steve said, then he left. I looked from the large Gabe to the scrawny Hugo.

"Hugo." I sighed while I paced for a second and I took the blue headband out of my hair, letting my bangs fall back into place. He turned to me with a snap. His face was sweating. "What?" He spat. I frowned at him for a long second and then I walked to him and grabbed his hand. He was the one who had sold us out. He was pissed at Isabel for not turning him. He wanted to be the great and unfathomable immortal that she was. He didn't want to grow old and die, while she went on unfazed. The bottom line was he was a whiny little shit that was going to get Sookie and I killed over his little tantrum. I pulled back and stared evenly at him. "You sold us out." I growled at him, his eyes widened for a second. Then he retreated next to the door wiping his perspiring face. "Gabe, you can let me out now." He laughed for a second. "The jig is up." He insisted. Gabe ignored him and I just backed up to stand with Sookie.

"Shut up." Steve said, as he walked back in. "Steve, sir I helped you. I'm really claustrophobic." He was sweating profusely and now he was breathing heavily. "What, do you want more information?" I tensed and was about to grab him when Sookie tightened her grip on me. "She is Sookie Stackhouse, and she is Ella Stackhouse." Hugo panted. I looked over to Steve. His face was turning darker by the second. "Stackhouse?" He asked. Hugo nodded lazily. "As in Jason Stackhouse." Steve asked. Sookie jumped up. "My brother, what have you done with him?" She yelled, I got up with her. Steve just smirked and turned to Gabe. "Take care of it." He growled. Steve and Gabe ran up the stairs.

Anger had gotten the best of me as I grabbed Hugo by his shirt and threw him into the fence. He was hyperventilating when I reached him. I was about to hit him, but I…felt sorry for the bastard. I backed up. "Just stay. Stay there." I sighed and slid to the floor. Sookie was worried, I could feel it. We sat there listening to Hugo whimper for about twenty minutes.

Then I heard large footsteps coming down the stairs. Hugo scrambled to the door. Gabe busted in and knocked Hugo out with only two blows to his face. I stood in front of Sookie. "Don't fucking touch her!" I yelled and he pushed me into the fencing, I fell to the floor and regained sense quickly. He was on top of Sookie I ran to him, again he threw me. Then before my eyes a man, no older than me flashed in. He was strikingly beautiful and pale. He picked Gabe up and I closed my eyes. But I heard a loud snap and a bang. When I opened my eyes, Gabe lay dead close to me. I moved away from him and tried to collect myself. "Are you?" I asked standing in a haze. "Godric." I finished, he nodded wordlessly.

Godric closed his eyes. "Someone is here." He said. "Is it Bill?" Sookie asked frantically. "No, it is my child, Eric, I'm here." He spoke. Child? Godric was Eric's maker? With a flash Eric was there, I looked at him, he was ecstatic in a very silent sort of way. "How long has it been since you've fed?" I watched as Eric kneeled to Godric. "I require very little blood anymore." Godric said, his face hardly changed a bit. There was some kind of alarm going off, it made me jump. "Save the humans, go." Godric nodded. "I am not leaving your side until you have-" Eric was interrupted by the seemingly older vampire. "I can take care of myself." He snapped at the kneeling almost puppy eyed Eric. "Spill no blood on your way out…go." He said in a very aggressive tone. Eric nodded seeming a little angry. He got up and grabbed my arm, I grabbed Sookie's.

As we got close to the exit we stopped. There were three men holding stakes. They were ushering out women and children. "How do you suppose we get out of here?" I whispered to Eric, he smiled down at me. "I'll follow Godric's orders and get you out, without bloodshed." Eric said and started out. On impulse I grabbed his jacket. That surprised him. Eric got close to me then, I could feel something well up in my belly it frightened me. "Trust me." Eric whispered into my ear. My breath caught in my throat out of shock.

He walked up to the men changing his stance a little. He slumped over a bit and put on a goofy smile. "Oh hey ya'll how's it going?" His voice was nasally and had a little country twang. "Uh, Steve sent me over to man the exit. I think I can take it from here." He gave out a little giggle. I edged out from behind a pillar to observe a little closer. A man in cargo shorts came forward. "By yourself?" He questioned sounding very skeptical. Eric played it cool. "Uh, yeah." He answered quickly. "Your big and all, but there's a vampire on the loose." The man stated. Eric shifted his weight which was very human of him. "Oh." He breathed. Another guy stepped in looking confused. "Where's your stake?" He asked. Eric moved his head. "Oh dang, I forgot." He laughed nervously which I was sure was just an act. These men couldn't make him nervous. The man in cargo shorts moved over a little. "Maybe I could borrow yours, if, if that's okay." Eric said not losing character. The confused guy spoke. "I can't do that, get your own." He was being less than courteous. Eric shifted then, not his weight but his attitude. He stood to his normal height and spoke in his low silky voice. "I very much would like to borrow your stake." He breathed seductively. The rude boy changed his attitude quickly seeming to mellow out. "Yeah, yeah that'd be okay, I guess." He nodded handing Eric his stake. The man in the cargo shorts inched closer to Eric, I felt my body tense. The man raised his stake to Eric's back. Sookie and I yelled simultaneously. "Stake!" Eric turned and pushed the man across the floor. He turned and threw the rude guy into the wall.

The silent guy came at Eric with his stake. Eric grabbed him and the stake. As I ran up with Sookie trailing behind, Eric held the stake to the man's throat. The boy's breathing was fast and shaky. "Godric said no bloodshed, remember?" I peeped behind the tall vampire. He dropped the boy and the stake in the same second. Eric walked to the door. "Come on." He said. Eric opened the door and I could see a mob of people with the shirts that Gabe had worn. Fellowship of the sun, or better put: vampire haters. "Those arrows are wood, you'll never make it through." The boy who Eric had released said. Eric closed the doors and Sookie spoke. "Through the sanctuary." Then we ran after Sookie, hoping to get out of this psycho's den.

We walked quickly through the sanctuary, the pews were littered with blankets and pillows. Sookie and I were keeping up with Eric. "Where's the exit?" Eric asked quickly. "Back that way." Sookie said. Then I heard the most hateful voice. "There are several exits actually." He sneered. Steve walked in front of a bed type alter smiling. "For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell." The doors from all sides busted open and armed holy rollers poured in.

"Let us leave, save yourselves no one has to die!" Sookie yelled. "You all are listening to not a man of god, but a psycho!" I added. "War has begin you evil whores of Satan!" Steve said loudly raising his arms in a foolish way. "You vampires cast the first stone by killing my family." Steve stopped and took a deep breath in. "The line has been drawn, your either with us, or against us. We are prepared for Armageddon." He nodded with clueless notion. "The vampire your holding got away, he's a sheriff, he's bound to send for help." Sookie said. Steve smirked as he spoke. "I'm not concerned with Godric, any vampire will do for our grand celebration, and we got one right here." Steve pointed to Eric. I felt a sudden falling in my chest, no. No! Eric looked down at me like he could hear what I was feeling. "I'll be fine." I didn't believe him, I was afraid, and on the edge of a panic attack. Sookie didn't know what to do either, she watched in fear as I did.

"Brothers and sisters, there will be a holy bon fire at dawn." Steve nodded with a twisted grin. My heart fell as Eric walked slowly up to the alter and laid down. Steve snapped his fingers and two men came forth with silver chains. The sound of flesh burning was louder than I expected. It made me grit my teeth. I wanted to save Eric, but I, I just couldn't. I closed my eyes and drowned out the ramblings of Steve Newlin for a few seconds to think, just think. Maybe Bill would come for Sookie. If Godric was Eric's maker as he had said before, why the hell wasn't he slaughtering the bunch for Eric's safety. Why the hell was I worried for this strange vampire? I didn't know anything, I was lost, dropped in the middle of the sea on a moonless night.

When I heard Eric speak I came back to the surface. "I-I offer myself." He struggled to speak. "In exchange for Godric's freedom." He stopped. "A-and the girls' as well." His voice was harsh. "That's noble, but they're just as culpable as you are. They are both traitors to they're race, the human race. They hardly deserve mercy." He rounded the alter that Eric lay bounded to. "Maybe we should tie one of them to you so you can meet the sun together." Eric thrashed angrily under the chains. Steve walked over and looked from me to Sookie. "I wonder which one is his?" He mused. "What about it vampire, the blond or the brunette?" He laughed shortly and eyed me a little more. "I bet it's you." He was going to grab me when the main doors flew open. "Sookie!" Bill ran in. Steve pulled a gun and pointed it dead at Sookie.

I wriggled against my keepers with all my might. Steve said something, but I was to damn angry to hear it. "If you shoot her, everyone here will die." Bill exclaimed, he was serious. "Let her go now." Steve shook his head and made an ugly face. "Soldiers, some silver chains for our friend here." Sookie began to move around. "Don't! He has done nothing to you!" Bill put up his hand. "Sookie I will be fine." He said. Then a husky voice called out. "Newlin!" Before I could focus, I saw Steve drop his gun and start to whimper. Again the voice called. "Let them go fuckwad!" It was none other than my cousin Jason who shot a green paintball onto the forehead of Steve Newlin.

Bill took out some nearby holy rollers and a few apprehended Jason from his window. In the commotion I ran to Eric and started to peal the chains from his burning skin. As soon as Eric was loose he grabbed Steve by the neck and threw him to the floor. Sookie called out. "Do not kill him!" Jason called out. "Kill him, kill the mother fucker!" I called out. "Don't Eric!" As that passed my lips the doors that were flying open a lot lately opened once more. Vampires marched in.

A large one in a cowboy hat led them in. "Steve Newlin, you have pushed us to far. You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come and lynch us?" He laughed darkly. "We'll kill ya first." His deep voice grew darker. "Same way we did your father." He said with a smile. "Oh god no." Sookie muttered. "Murderer!" Steve gasped. "Destroy them, all of them." The vamp's fangs shot out and there was so many everywhere. Eric got off of Steve and stood in front of me. "Eric, you have to stop them." I hissed, he was reeling. "Godric wouldn't want this." I added. He knew it was true.

Before a drop of blood was spilt I heard the voice of an angel. "Enough!" And like an angel he stood above us all wearing white. "You came for me I assume. Underling." Godric said. The cowboy vampire groaned. "Yes, sheriff." "These people have not harmed me. You see, we can coexist. Mr. Newlin I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace will you do the same?" I marveled at this gentle creature that seemed so hurt and jilted. "I will not negotiate with subhuman's." Then Steve crawled to where Eric and I stood. "Kill me." He spat at Eric. I held Eric's arm, but I felt him twitch. "Do it, Jesus will protect me." Steve cried. I squeezed Eric's arm and breathed. "Don't do it." Eric turned his head to me, it was weird, I could swear he was smiling at me, in a sincere way. But it was less than a millisecond that it happened so I can't say for sure.

Then Godric spoke and Eric's eyes flew to watch him. "I'm actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could've known him, but I missed it." And with a speed that not one being could measure to, Godric was there holding Steve by his collar. Eric and I stared in amazement. "Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?" Not one person stepped forward. "Stand down everyone. People go home." Sookie turned to Bill and he embraced her tightly, I could see he didn't want to let her go ever again. Godric told his underlings to come. Eric turned to me. "Are you okay?" He asked. I felt lightheaded, and completely drained of all possible warmth in my body. "Fine, fine, I'm fine." I stuttered my lie to him, he looked at me for a second longer, then he followed his maker.


	5. Blue Flames and Black Blood

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! This is my first story and I've fallen in love with Ella as a character. So I will be writing a lot more!**

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><p>Bill drove us to Godric's house, it was a nice place that I truly considered to be a vampire's house. Just the way it was so clean and in place. Jason asked me how the hell I was doing. "I'm fine." I lied again. I had this feeling of oncoming dread and mess that I couldn't help but to wonder. Jason told Sookie all about what had happened at the camp. I walked over to a chair and sat down feeling my legs go numb, as they had once before.<p>

_My ears rung. There was a lot of blood, it covered the whole place. The smell of ash was thick. My body was being crushed into the floor. I gasped for breath. _

I shook myself, there was so much happening that it made my head all wrong. That had to be it, I needed some time alone in a very dark place. Just for a few hours to sort everything out. I'd have a better grasp.

I was going over to tell Sookie that I wanted to go home when someone grabbed my arm, it was Eric. He pulled me to a room. It was big, with only a large bed and two lamps. "What?" I asked him. He smiled for a second. "What just happened to you, it's like you were vacant for a second." He said, I felt self-conscious. "I've been seeing things." I whispered and tried to leave. He wanted an explanation, and I gave him one.

"Seeing things." He said in a low silky tone. I nodded and grabbed the door handle. He put his hand on mine. I felt lust. I saw me in the church looking up at him like a scared little girl. I drew back my hand and looked at him with anger. "I told you not to do that." I hissed at him. He chuckled deeply. "I'm sorry." Then his face went blank. "Now, what kind of things are you seeing?" He asked me. I sighed and moved my bangs. "Well, something like an explosion." I mumbled. Eric stiffened. "Have you seen 'things' before?" He asked. I shook my head then I paused. "Only once, today, before I left to go to the church. I saw that Steve would put us in the basement before it actually happened. It was like déjà vu." I explained to him. "Or a vision." Eric concluded with a slight grin.

"You're something stronger than Sookie." He marveled. I grimaced at the thought. I didn't want to be thought of as 'something' at all. I walked out then and Eric didn't stop me he only followed. Sookie was standing all on her lonesome Godric was walking back to where he had been sitting.

Then I heard a very shaky voice call out. "Excuse me everyone. If I could have your attention please. I have a message for you all from reverend Steve Newlin." I moved from behind Eric to see a young man pull open his coat. He had a bomb strapped to his chest. I sighed. "Fu-"

The explosion was earth shattering to me. Eric grabbed me. My ears rung. There was a lot of blood, it covered the whole place. The smell of ash was thick. My body was being crushed into the floor. I gasped for breath. Eric was quite an heavy object. Bill was yelling through the burnt structure of which used to be a home. "Sookie!" She was lying on the floor, a few feet from me, badly wounded. Bill ran to her and bit into his wrist.

I looked up into Eric's eyes. He was staring down at me. His mouth was open, I opened mine to ask him if he was okay. I could feel the warm blood from his mouth fall down my throat. I coughed and slid out from under him. There was a large piece of silver in his back just between the shoulder blades. I gritted my teeth and pulled it out in one big yank. He groaned and turned over. "You bled in my mouth." I said disgusted by the thought. "I know." He smiled. I just walked away from him.

Sookie was starting to heal by the second. "She'll be fine." Bill said, his mouth was covered with his own blood. There was just so much blood all around. My head spun, I ran outside to the front lawn and puked.

We went back to the hotel, I sat in my room and pondered over what had happened, and why I could be feeling this way. I ate dinner and laid in my bed for a few sleepless hours. I was unsure of myself. I was infatuated with this vampire, I was slowly becoming insane. I had not one person to talk to about this. The blue dress laid in the bathroom floor, I was sure it was one of Sookie's so I picked it up and threw it in my bag. I remembered that I left the headband in the small fence cell. I'd get Sookie another if she truly missed that one. I took a shower and thought of Eric, it was hard now not to think of him. He saved my life, if he hadn't grabbed me that huge piece of silver would've decapitated me surly. He did more for me than anyone had ever done for me in my life. That made him special to me…

_Godric stood on the rooftop of the hotel. Eric was kneeling to him as tears of scarlet fell down his alabaster face. "I won't let you die alone."_

I was lying in the floor of the shower. I got out of the bathroom and put on a red t-shirt and jeans. I put my key card in my jean pocket and slipped into my tennis shoes. I ran out of my room and pushed the elevator button, it didn't come fast enough. So I ran to the stairs. I had no clue what was going to happen. But I had to stop Eric from doing something stupid. When I reached the stairs I took a deep breath and ran. It was five more flights up to the roof. Two more flights, one more…As I reached door I caught my breath.

When I walked out I saw the pair in the middle of the rooftop. Eric was kneeling to Godric as tears of scarlet fell down his alabaster face. "I won't let you die alone." "Yes you will." Godric said knowingly. "As your maker I command you." As Godric said those words Eric got to his feet. He was walking towards me not touching the blood on his face. I touched his arm, I felt the overwhelming pain and sadness, nothing else. It brought tears to my eyes. "I'll stay with him." I told Eric, he just breathed unevenly as he walked away.

I joined Godric where he stood. "It won't be long, not at my age." He said. "Why are you doing this?" I asked him, he thought silently for a second. "I'd much rather not speak of it." He said, I could see Eric's ways in him, or Godric's ways in Eric. They were so different, but so much alike. "Do you believe in god?" He asked me. I thought to myself for a second as he did. "I do, believe in god." I said with a smile. "How do you think he will punish me?" He asked, I frowned. "God doesn't punish." I whispered hoping for his sake that it was the truth. "You care for him, don't you?" Godric asked me, he was speaking of Eric. "He saved my life, I suppose I do care for him." I said. Godric smiled proudly, he wiped a tear from my cheek. "Why are you crying?" He asked concerned for me. "For you and for Eric." I sniveled. His face lit up. "For me, a human crying for me." He looked up into the sky that was quickly turning pink. "Now in this I see god." He said, his face was so happy.

As the sun peeked Godric unbuttoned his shirt. I backed up and kept my eyes on Godric's elated face. His body quickly burst into bright blue flames. I stumbled back even further. In a matter of seconds what was the very old vampire, who was Eric's maker, was completely gone no trace left behind. I fell to my knees, I couldn't make sense of what was going on. My head spun, there was no way I could explain anything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours to myself. I had no grasp on my sanity whatsoever. Before it was so simple, go to work, go home, repeat. It was hard for me, I wanted to be in Bon Temps, I wanted to be with what family I had left. But, would it cost me my mind? Would I spare that? The choice had to be made before I left that rooftop.

I rubbed my eyes, Eric's tears still fell, my tears accompanied them. My mind was to full, to cluttered. I laid on my back and looked up at the quite dim lit sky. It seemed the sun only came out to take Godric, and went back into hiding afterwards. My thoughts suddenly went from all the disaster and death, to the peculiar case of the woman I had been seeing. She looked so much like me, except for her eyes, those eyes. They burned blue like the fire that consumed Godric's body. I was thinking a bit clearly, that surprised me. I got up and walked to the door that led down the stairs. I would go back to my room, pack my things, wait for Sookie. I would go home, to Bon Temps. Nowhere else would do, I knew that.

* * *

><p>The ride back home was long, but I got to catch up with Jason. He was glad that I was staying in Bon Temps. I was glad to. The car ride into town was weird. There were people running through the roads naked, people spray painting the walls of their own homes. "What the fuck?" I muttered. Jason just stared in astonishment. Sookie was doing the same. As the dusk came we pulled up to Bill's house. Bill was awake then, he went into the house, we all followed. Hoyt and Jessica were standing in the living room behind Maxine, I hadn't seen Hoyt's mom in two years, but I knew Maxine Fortenberry would never be playing some first person shooter on the wii. I put my hand over my mouth to control my giggles. Hoyt looked stressed, Jessica just looked as amused as I was.<p>

"What is going on?" Bill asked Jessica. "Something weird happened to my mama vampire Bill." Hoyt said. Maxine turned around and I saw her eyes were completely black. "Marryann." I breathed, I knew it was something she had done. Sookie looked at me. "Marryann?" She questioned. I nodded. "I saw…" I paused and pointed to Maxine's eyes. "That in her memories." I concluded. Bill skewered me with his stare. "Ella?" Maxine asked with a horrible smile on her round face. "Hey Ms. Fortenberry." I said feeling anxious. She waddled over and hugged me tightly. "You look awful!" She yelled. "Well thank you." I mumbled. "You're as pale as a vampire, and you got to damn thin! But, you're still as pretty as a picture." She pinched my cheek really hard. When she released me and ran to Hoyt I held my stinging cheek. "Hoyt ain't she pretty?" She asked her son loudly. Jessica grimaced at Maxine, I felt her pain. "Yes mama, but." Hoyt huffed. "But, what? She's human!" Maxine was trying to set me up with her son, even under the influence of some odd kind of curse. I walked outside.

Jason came outside after me heading for the woods. "What are you doing?" I called out to him. "Saving the town!" He replied, I just shrugged. Bill and Sookie came out of the house. "Come on Ell, were going to the house." Sookie said, I nodded and got in the backseat of Bill's car. The ride was short, I saw that the house was being occupied. I got out with Sookie and Bill, we ran up the porch and into the house.

Marryann was standing just inside as if she were expecting us. She was different now, more monstrous. Where her hands used to be now were claws, that I got to see up close as she charged us. I leapt out of the way. Bill caught her and sunk his fangs into her neck, but he drew back quickly, black blood fell from his mouth. He choked uncontrollably Sookie ran to help him. Which left me with the Marryann.

She inched closer as if it were all a game, giggling like a child. I was afraid for the first time in my life. I put my hand up to push her away, a shock went through me, it was colossal, sending light throughout the room. It frightened me, the feeling was something I had never experienced in my life, it was true unkempt force coming from me. I stared at my hand for a good second. Marryann could have easily finished me if she weren't as wonderstruck as I was. I helped Sookie carry Bill out of the house. We put him in the backseat, Sookie got in with him and I drove.

"She-that was the thing that attacked me in the woods." Sookie said with sheer disgust. "Go to Lafayette's." She demanded. That I did, she had to tell me where to go, but we got there. I sat outside while Bill and Sookie tried to get Tara back.

I felt the worst headache coming on. I sat on the ground and held my head in my hands. I heard the voice of the most astute vampire I've met. Eric. "Hello, Ella." I looked up feeling like he could only be a figment of my imagination. He wasn't, he was there standing tall in a gray suit, in the middle of the woods. "Out for a stroll?" I asked him, not feeling the need to get up. "Not quite, I was curious to what that feeling was." He said, I didn't understand him, I just shrugged hoping he'd just leave me there. "It was about ten-thirty, very weird feeling, think." He crouched down to look me in the eyes. "How can you feel what I feel?" I asked him, he smiled. "My blood, inside you. Think of it as me becoming a part of you." I stuck out my tongue in a childish way. "Gross." I muttered. He laughed and stood up. I knew he wasn't going to leave me there alone, until I explained myself. I thought, ten-thirty, strange feeling. Of course, it had slipped my mind graciously for a moment. "I was being attacked, by the thing that scratched Sookie that night." He knew what night I meant even though I wasn't there. "And I put my hand up to push her away, and, uh, light, I guess came out of me." I didn't know how to explain it, at all. Eric frowned at a close by tree. I watched his face, he returned to looking down at me. "Light shot out of your hands?" He asked, I nodded. He pursed his lips. He got level with me again giving me a smile. "I'm going to find out what you are." Eric said, then like a flash was gone.


	6. Weddings and Funerals

I saw Bill getting into his car. I ran over to him. "Where are you going?" I asked him quietly. "I'm going to get information on how to end Marryann." Bill was so dramatic, I nodded and retreated from his car window.

I walked up the steps to enter Lafayette's house. It was lovely, very flamboyant, very colorful. I suppose it radiated his own personality.

Tara was being restrained, but she seemed fine to me. Sookie was sitting with Lafayette and Tara's mom was praying while she held Tara's hand.

I knew Tara's mom before I left, she was an infamous alcoholic, I was pleasantly surprised to see she had reformed for the better.

I sat on the couch next to Sookie, she put her hand in mine and smiled over at me. "Are you okay?" She asked, there was something so motherly in her question it almost brought tears to my eyes. I nodded. "What do we do now?" I asked Sook. "We wait for Bill." She said fondly. I was beginning to think that was Sookie's overall motto. I had no problem with it of course, Bill seemed to suit her well enough.

* * *

><p><em>Sam stood tied to a pole, he grunted and tried to free himself, but he couldn't. Marryann watched gleefully. The knife that a young man wielded pushed into Sam's skin with a sickening slowness.<em>

The sun danced behind my eyelids from the purple shades on the windows. I opened my eyes to find myself there alone. I walked outside, the sun was about to go down, I wondered to myself what the hell had happened? I walked back inside and checked the clock. It was about ten minutes from sundown.

"Well, shit." I muttered. I started to walk to Merlotte's, I knew it wouldn't take long, since Lafayette's house wasn't to far from it. The sun fell quicker than I hoped. I reached Merlotte's about fifteen minutes after sundown. As I came closer to the door, I slowed my walk, feeling I was being watched.

Opening the door slowly and silently. Sam rushed at me with a knife. "No!" I yelled and held up my hands. Sam stopped and waited for me to speak. "Hi, Sam." I said, he shook his head. "Hi." He huffed.

"Um, so this might be a weird thing to say. But, Marryann is going to sacrifice you." I said holding up my hands as if I wasn't responsible, which I wasn't. But, oddly enough Sam didn't seem fazed in the tiniest bit. "I know." He sighed. I stared, did things like this happen a lot to him?

All of a sudden Bill busted in the door. "Sam you must come with me." He stated. "Why?" Sam asked. "You are the only way to end Marryann." He explained. "I'm not doing that, it's impossible." Sam said. "I'm not giving you a choice." Bill growled, I understood he could be quite scary. Sam sighed and nodded. Bill ushered us into his car.

"You will need to let Marryann sacrifice you." Bill said, I just stared at him from the backseat. "Someone will need to distract Marryann, Ella?" Bill asked, I nodded, anything to help. "We will discuss the rest in just a minute." Bill said and stopped in front of Sookie's house. I got out and ran to see Sookie in a weird ensemble. She looked like a bridesmaid in some demented wedding. It's only when I saw Marryann that I found I was right, it was a demented wedding indeed.

"Welcome youngling!" Marryann cried in a state of ecstasy. She looked at me for a short second. "I'm glad you came to witness him come." I backed up to stand next to where Sookie was being held by Jason and Lafayette, who were both under the influence of Marryann's strange powers.

Bill walked up holding Sam by his collar. "Marryann!" He called, she turned to him with a smile, her smile just wouldn't go away. When she saw Sam, her smile grew even wider. "I offer Sam to you for Sookie's safety." Bill spoke in his low deadly tone. "I'd be delighted for a trade!" Marryann clapped. "No! Bill no!" Sookie protested. I looked over to her, but I couldn't catch her eye to give her a little wink, to just let her know it was just a trick. But, then I thought for a second, was it just a trick? Or would Bill just hand over a life to save Sookie?

Bill pushed Sam away from him and took Sookie from Jason and Lafayette. Sookie was in tears, she really believed Bill would do such a thing, so maybe I should too. Sam stood tied to a pole, he grunted and tried to free himself, but he couldn't. Marryann watched gleefully. The knife that a young man wielded pushed into Sam's skin with a sickening slowness. I swallowed back tears, the whole thing seemed to be some kind of black humored play, but I knew the pain was real. I could see it in Sam's eyes.

Sookie ran up to him, he said something to her. Bill was close to me, he whispered in my ear. "Distract Marryann." I ran to Sookie, she was crying. "Sook, help me push this over." I shook her a little. "Okay." Sookie muttered wiping her eyes. The large thing that seemed to have been made of tree limbs, and clothes stood tall in the middle of the yard. Sookie and I pushed with all of our might. It fell down and broke into pieces.

Marryann's scream was deafening. She came at us very quickly, claws and all. Grabbing Sookie's hand I ran for my life. "Can you do that light thing again?" She screamed at me as we ran. "I-I don't know!" I yelled back, I could feel Marryann was close to us. Where the hell was Bill? When I was about to turn around and try my weird power, I saw a large white bull. I moved with Sookie to the right.

We stood and watched as Marryann walked to him holding out her arms with happiness. "You came, my god." She was in tears. As she got closer the bull he moved his large horns swiftly into her chest. Sookie and I stiffened simultaneously. The bull turned into a naked man. I stared unmoving as Sam pulled his hand out of Marryann's chest. He held her black heart, she stared angrily as Sam crushed her heart in his hand. She shriveled up into a mummified corpse within seconds… "Well at least that's over." I whispered.

* * *

><p>The house was very messed up, it looked like years had sped up and it became a part of the forest itself. The night passed quickly, I just sat outside on the porch and read a book. Sookie was off with Bill.<p>

When the morning came I felt a little better. It seemed like the world was cooling down around me. I took a shower, got dressed, and got into my car. I drove to Merlotte's. Arlene and Sookie were waiting tables.

I sat on a barstool and looked at Sam who was cleaning glasses. "How are you?" I asked him, he looked up with a smile. "I'm doing pretty good." Sam said. "Good." I nodded. "So, I was wondering. Because I'm going to be staying here. Can I maybe have a job?" I asked him. He finished wiping out a glass, and eyed me. "Got any references?" He asked. I nodded. "I have plenty." Sam led me to his office, he gave me an application. I filled it out and gave it back to him. He looked over it quickly and nodded to himself. "Would you need training?" He asked, I shook my head no. "Okay, you're hired." He smiled.

I got a little to excited and hugged him. I felt enormously glad that we were both wearing long sleeved shirts. I would most likely puke if I had to feel the pain of being stabbed. "I'm glad you're okay." I said, he smiled at me as I left his office to begin the newest chapter of my life. Hopefully it would be the best chapter.

* * *

><p>Sam tried me out for the day, it seemed like he was satisfied since he gave me my uniform and told me I could work that night if I wanted. Me and Sook cleaned up the house. "Bill is taking me out for dinner tonight." She told me beaming happily as she scrubbed the fridge. "Oh, that's romantic." I purred waving the duster at her. "I know." She laughed completely smitten. "Do you think you could spend the rest of your life with Bill?" I asked her, she looked at me with significance. "I think I really could." Love was audible in her voice, certainty was readable on her face. I was happy for her.<p>

"I can see the moonlit wedding now." I sighed dramatically, dancing with the broom. Sookie threw a rag at me while she giggled. "I'm working tonight." I told her after our bout of the girly giggles sobered. "Do you like working at Merlotte's?" She asked brushing a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I really do." I nodded with a thoughtful smile on my face. "Have fun." I said as we parted ways to get ready.

I got ready for work while she got ready for her date. I was leaving the house when Bill picked her up, they stood on the porch for a second. "Very sexy couple." I mumbled as I passed them. Bill and Sookie laughed, as I got into my car I waved to them, they waved back.

Sam was gone for the night. Tara was manning the bar, while Arlene and I waited tables. It was quite a busy night. Jason was sitting with Andy Bellefleur, which I found peculiar. "Hey cuz, one more diet Coke and one more beer." Jason ordered for them both, it looked like Sookie wasn't the only Stackhouse out on a date tonight. "Alright." I smiled at them before I left.

I went behind the bar seeing that Tara was busy. I got the drinks and went back to the table. Andy picked up the diet Coke took two sips and laid five dollars down on the table. "Bye Andy." I said. "Bye." He waved and left. "Your date's bailing out pretty early Jason." I said with a sly grin. He got up and punched my shoulder lightly. "You're so damn funny cuz." He said, not truly amused.

I took two more orders and gave them to Lafayette before I heard the gunshot. It was so loud that everyone in Merlotte's could hear. "The fuck?" Tara said practically jumping over the bar. I ran outside with her. The man that stabbed Sam lay dead on the ground. Andy Bellefleur held the gun that had ended him.

"Oh my god. Eggs!" Tara ran to hold the dead man. Everyone from the bar came out to gawk. I kneeled to pull Tara off of him. I felt the burning love she felt for him, the sickening loss, the pain. I let go of her, not being able to handle it. Lafayette came out and pulled her off of him. Her hands were covered in blood. I walked back into the bar with them.

The night was going to be a long one, that's why I decided to just leave before Sheriff Dearborne arrived. Arlene said she would lock up.

When I got home I went up to my room and stripped my clothes. There was no one home so I just put a long t-shirt on instead of getting dressed completely. I walked down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen. It was clean now but still it looked a bit messed up. Before I could even touch the counter I fell to my knees.

"_Will you marry me Sookie?" Bill asked with the biggest grin I had ever seen him wear. Sookie was crying. "Ever since I was a little girl I've dreamt of this, and every time I'd say yes." Sookie spoke with sadness in her voice. "Then it should be easy." Bill's smile fell. "Then why can't I say it?" Sookie shook her head. "I need a minute." She got up and went into the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror wiping off tears. When she took a breath, she slipped the ring on her finger and smiled. As Sookie ran bock out she realized Bill was gone, the chair he sat in lay on the floor and the table was messed up. "Bill?" She called and walked to the edge of the room. She heard loud footsteps before…_

When I came back to my senses I got up and ran to my room. I grabbed my cell-phone off of the nightstand and called Sookie. She didn't answer. "Fuck." I had no clue where they had went, but I knew Jessica would. I pulled on some jeans and I ran outside. I jumped in my car not bothering to lock the door to the house.


	7. Wolf Bites and Teardrops

When I reached Bill's I ran to the door, knocking loudly. "Jessica!" I yelled. She answered the door with blood on her face and her dress was open in the front exposing her bra. I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but I had no time. "What is it?" She asked. "Do you know where Bill and Sookie went?" I asked, she nodded and scratched her head. "Um, the French restaurant off of Dole's drive." She said. "Is something wrong?" She asked. "I'm not sure, yet." I sighed and ran out of the door.

When I got into my car I drove faster than I felt comfortable doing. When I got to Dole's drive I slowed a bit. There was a old oak with lights hanging from it, I stopped in front of it. The restaurant was there, but Bill's car wasn't. I pulled into the lot and ran inside.

The place was empty, but it was from the vision I had seen. The chair still lay on the floor. A small woman with a French accent walked into the room. "Do you know Mr. Compton?" She asked me. I nodded swallowing hard. "Did you see where they went?" I asked her. She shook her head. "No, no, I've been out." She claimed, I brushed past her picking up the chair, our skin touched. She really hadn't seen anything.

I left and drove back home thinking of what I could do about this. Go to the police? Maybe not. Jessica, she'd want to know if her maker was missing. Jason would also want to know that Sookie was missing. I pulled over trying to focus. I wished and pleaded for some kind of sign, I needed to know what happened to Sookie, and if she was okay.

_The car was full of men, Bill was in the backseat with silver wrapped around him. Sookie was knocked out in the front. They drove along a dark road passing only one thing, a huge billboard that was old and not used any longer. But there was graffiti on it. Saying: Vamps SUCK! _

Thinking for a few seconds after I resurfaced from my vision, I realized had seen the billboard before, on my way in from Blanchard. That was when I started to feel like the visions were helpful.

I started the engine and drove down the road watching for Bill's car. I drove for about an hour before I found something. There were trees parted as if something had crashed through it. I pulled over and jumped out of the car. It was very dark out there so I used my cell-phone as a light. The terrain was viscous and if the car did crash here, it would be completely totaled. I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. The feeling engrossed my whole body when I found Bill's car flipped over at the bottom of the steep hill.

"Oh god." I breathed as I ran over to peer inside. There was a body, a tear fell from my right eye as I pushed in my cell-phone to illuminate what could have easily been Sookie's lifeless corpse. To my relief it was a man, the driver of the car. I drug him out of the car looking for a pulse. As I put my fingers on his neck, I could feel his skin pushed up in a weird way. I looked at it more closely, it was a symbol of some sort, I went to the sketch pad on my phone and drew it the best I could in what dim light I had.

I didn't bother calling the police, I just wiped his neck with his shirt to make sure I didn't leave any evidence of me being there behind. The climb back up the hill was terror to my limbs. When I reached the top I got in my car, since I was pretty close to Shreveport I decided I'd ask Eric for help. He did owe me one, well, I owed him my life, but he still didn't pay me for what I had done.

Fangtasia seemed to be closed, but I knocked on it's door anyways. Pam answered with a wry smile. "Oh what a pleasant surprise." She breathed looking…pink, she didn't sound pleasantly surprised at all. "Nice to see you to Pam." I said, she moved out of the way so I could enter. Eric stood next to the bar wearing a suave black suit. "Ella, what brings you here?" He asked. "Bill and Sookie are missing." I said, his face didn't change in the slightest way. "Are they now?" He seemed to be very uninterested in my problems. There was something about the way he stared at me, I could see that he was angry about something.

"Yes, and I found Bill's car, and a dead man in it. He had this branded on his neck." I laid my phone down on the table. "I can't help you." He insisted. I didn't believe him in the least bit. I grabbed his hand and got one word that was too much for him to hide. _**Werewolves**_.

"Werewolves?" I asked him, his face darkened instantly. "Here's what I know about werewolves. There's a reason their existence has remained a myth to humans for thousands of years. They're territorial, vicious, pathologically secretive." He was sure of this. I didn't even think werewolves were real, but in a world that held vampires and shape shifters. I guess it could make a good place for such things as werewolves.

"Can you help me get Sookie and Bill back?" I asked him. "No." Was his final answer. I felt degraded, and completely and utterly hurt. "Well, I guess I'll be finding them myself!" I hissed and stomped towards the door. Eric cut me off with his stupid vampire speed. "You'll just get yourself killed." Eric whispered knowingly.

"So what?" I said walking back to the table realizing I had forgotten my phone. He was in front of me again. "So you want to be slaughtered by some backwoods werewolves? That's really how you want to go?" The way he said it to me was just hateful. "I'm not as dumb as you think I am." I growled feeling my hands start to shake. "No, but your human, for the better part, anyway." He said, frowning.

"If you won't help me as you say you won't. Then I'm going to do it myself." I started out again, but again Eric stopped me. "Your life is to valuable to throw away." His face changed then, only for a second, he looked as if he cared. As soon as he realized his cover had been blown he straightened himself up and walked to the other side of the room. He sat at a booth and waited for me.

When I sat down he looked at me for a second analyzing every aspect of my face. "How do you propose we find them?" He asked, I heard 'we' and I felt my heart miss a beat. I ignored my dumb teenage girl impulses. "Why the hell would I come to you if I had a solid plan?" I asked him, he rolled his eyes. "I don't think I can help you without any critical information." He sounded cold and professional.

There was a dull stabbing in my chest. "Eric, Sookie was in that car, it would have to of flipped at least four times on the way down. I don't know if she could've survived that." I said feeling even more pain. "My mother, my gran. They were taken away from me unfairly. Now Sook and Jason is all I have." I felt the pain grow by every word as the truth spilled from my lips.

"I don't think I can take much more of this." Tears fell down my face, and I stopped myself. "Don't, don't do that." Eric sighed. "Sookie helped you! She almost died!" I yelled uneasily. "Can you really be this heartless?" My question was kept unanswered as Eric just stared coldly at me. This time, I left and nobody stopped me. I got in my car and drove back home sobbing like a scolded child.

When I reached the large empty house I walked up to my room sluggishly. Tears still fell down my cold face as I tried in vain to call Sookie once more. Her phone went straight to voicemail. I threw my phone on the bed and went into the bathroom.

I undressed and stepped into the shower. I pulled the curtain and turned the water on. It ran cold for just a second then it warmed a bit. I stood under the steady stream of water for about ten minutes, letting the warm water wash away my tears. Then I heard the door creak. I turned with a jerk, not wanting to open the curtain. I listened for footsteps and heard nothing. But I saw a large shadow in front of the curtain. My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my ears. Did someone come for me too? I pondered over what it could be until. "My my Ella, you really should lock your door." Eric purred close to the shower curtain. I automatically covered myself to my best ability.

"What the fuck Eric?" I growled feeling overly abashed. I didn't know what to do. "Don't be embarrassed, I've seen so many women-" I cut him off. "I know you have!" I yelled. "But you're not seeing this woman." I added. I cut the water off and waited. I could see the large shadow he cast as he walked to the shelf. He picked something up and put his hand slowly around the curtain. I held my breath. He pulled it over a little and pushed the towel in. I snatched it from his hand and wrapped it around myself quickly.

I stepped out of the tub to see Eric still in his black suit standing against the vanity. He wore a smile on his face. God, he was bi-polar. "What the hell do you want?" I spat pushing past him. "When I told you earlier that I didn't know much about werewolves, I lied." He said. "Shocking." I huffed sarcastically. "In 1944 Godric and I were in Germany hunting them down. We caught one-" He smiled at the thought. "She told us that their master was a vampire." He spoke the last part with anger. "Okay, so what? That tells me nothing." I said picking clothes out of my bag. "It gives us a lead." He whispered.

"Why were you hunting them down?" I asked Eric. "Not relevant." He spat quickly. I sat on the small bench that was in front of the window. "Fine, did you find out who the vampire was?" I asked him. "No, sadly I never did." He looked off into space. I got up and went back to the bathroom, and this time I locked the door.

Eric stood outside of it waiting for me. I dressed and brushed my hair. When I was done I walked out and went down stairs. Eric followed. "So, why are you here anyway? Can't be that your guilty conscious was bugging you." I mumbled. "I knew they'd be after you. We vampires are living in a time where you can't afford to be messy. As much as I wouldn't like to admit it Bill was smart in making the wolves wreck the car. He left behind crucial evidence." He said with a wry smirk. "Never send a wolf to do a vampire's job." He muttered and walked to the front door.

It made me angry that Eric could just walk into this space and declare that he stay. That was what he did, he told me in a very dramatic way. "I'm going to protect you." I stuck my tongue out at him when he told me and fell onto the couch. He stood at the door for a while, I just laid on the couch staring at him. There was something about his face, his features that I could never get used to. I felt like I had seen his face a million times. But, when I looked at him that second, there was something new about him.

Three hours passed and it was close to sunrise. Eric was about to leave when there was a loud sound in the back. "Stay here." He spat and ran to find the culprit. I got up and walked to the hall to at least see what was coming. When I did I heard a growl, a loud, deep, and vibrating growl. It was behind me, I turned around to see a wolf, it was gray and brown. It's teeth were barred and very intimidating.

"Good doggie." I said while I put my hands up and backed to the front closet, I knew gran kept a gun in there. She was worried about being all on her lonesome out in the woods with a couple of kids, and she was smart enough to be prepared. I don't think gran had evil werewolves in mind when she got the gun, but a shotgun could work against that too. As I had my hand on the door knob to the closet. I could hear another growl rip out of the wolf. When I glanced back at him, he jumped for my throat.


	8. Lovesick

I knew Eric was coming, I just didn't know how fast he would get there. Gladly for me it was a second before the wolf tore out my jugular. I watched as Eric saved my life for the second time. Eric tackled the wolf to the floor and he turned into a man, which was just the weirdest thing to see at that moment. "Who sent you?" Eric growled into the man's face.

I ran up to them and grabbed the man's arm. His memories were beyond unreadable. I saw one thing. I saw blood, but he was thinking about something else, I only heard a piece of it though. 'Jacks-' I hated that werewolves and vampires could hide their memories from me. It would make finding Sookie that much harder.

"If I tell you, I'm as dead as you are. You might as well kill me now." The man growled, he wasn't afraid at all, it seemed. "As you wish." Eric said and bit into his neck. When Eric stood he smiled at me, his mouth dripping with blood. I shivered at the sight.

It wasn't a pleasant thing to see. "S-so, what are you going to do with the naked man on the floor?" I asked him to break the long silence of him just staring, and dripping. "I guess I'll be burying him, give me a hand?" He asked even though I knew he didn't need it. I carried the shovel for him.

As he dropped the man in the ground he was smiling. "I saw something, well actually I heard something." I told Eric. He raised a brow. "His memories were almost completely concealed." I muttered. "They're virtually silent." Eric sighed. "Before he shut me out, I heard Jacks." Eric looked at the grave he had just covered. "Jackson, Mississippi." He whispered, I stared at him. "How do you know that?" I asked him. "His accent, it's a Mississippi accent. Can't you tell?" He asked, I shook my head. "Not at all." I mumbled.

"I'll contact someone before I go to ground." Eric said. He picked up the shovel and headed back to the house. "He's from Jackson, Mississippi as well. He'll get you and take you there. He's got some connections in the Were community, and he owes me a favor." Eric said, who didn't owe Eric a favor?

"Okay." I agreed and was about to go in when Eric did something that sent waves over my body. He grabbed my hand and held it to his mouth. As he placed a gentle kiss on it I felt something well up inside me. Something I had never felt before in my life. "I'm not as heartless as I might appear to be." He whispered and like that he was gone.

I went upstairs holding the hand he had kissed, wondering of what he might have been thinking. I drew a blank, humans couldn't excite him. That was apparent. He had been around for a thousand years. He had seen so many things. I guess maybe, I really wasn't all that human.

* * *

><p>As I lay in bed pondering over Eric, I heard him. He came in the door wearing not his black suit but, a pair of jeans, and just that. His smile was bright as he climbed onto the bed. "Hey." He said, and sounded almost human. "Hey." I giggled and put my arms around his neck. He kissed me deeply as if he had been away from me for some time and just couldn't stand it. I kissed him back. The feeling of being close and being intertwined was pure ecstasy. "I love you." The words that he said just amplified what I felt. "I love you too, Eric." I breathed.<p>

* * *

><p>The truth of the words awoke me. I was breathing heavily. It took a while for me to calm down. When I finally did, I got up and went downstairs. There was blood on the floor, it reminded me of Eric. I made a bucket of warm water and bleach. After I found a sponge I started to clean up. I focused on cleaning and nothing but. I just didn't know what to think about the dream, or the feeling that it struck up inside me.<p>

About thirty minutes had passed when I heard a truck outside. There was a man, he was tall, very muscular, he had a beard and black hair. I walked outside and waited on the porch for the man to approach. "Hello." I said as he edged the front steps. "You must be Ella Stackhouse." He said, his voice was deep. "Yes, I am." I nodded and opened the door. "Come on in." I muttered walking into the freshly cleaned house.

"I'm Alcide Herveaux." He said. I sat down in the living room and waited for Alcide to sit. He sat next to me on the couch. "So, we're going to Jackson." I said, trying to start a conversation. He nodded. "Eric, told me that your cousin was kidnapped. and you think Weres did it." He said. "Well, I wouldn't have been sure if I hadn't seen it myself." I said.

"Eric told me you have, powers?" He asked looking skeptically at me. Wow, Eric had told him a lot about me. "Yes, I can touch someone's skin and see their memories." I nodded. He put his hand next to mine. When I looked at him he was waiting for something. I realized he wanted me to try it on him. "You'll have to let me in, for some reason vampires, and werewolves are hard to read." I said and he nodded still waiting. I grabbed his hand. His skin was soft and very warm.

I saw his girlfriend, Debbie. How nice she was, how sweet. Then he walked in on her with another Were, named Coot. Alcide yearned for Debbie. He was depressed and heartbroken. It was the only thing I could find in his memories. Just flashes of her and them together. I took my hand back. He was a lovesick puppy and he was supposed to help me? Fucking Eric.


	9. Dreams

We rode in Alcide's truck to Mississippi. I got to know him for the first hour of the road trip. I already knew everything about his very short love life. Now I knew his father owned a construction company. His father also asked Eric for a loan, and Alcide was doing this to pay for his father's debts. Alcide also told me how rowdy the Jackson pack was. They gave Weres a bad name. Then it came time for him to start asking questions about me.

"When did you find out that you had, your power?" He asked keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "Well, I've had it all of my life. I just couldn't understand it. I only realized I was different when I started school." I said, feeling the humiliation I had all those years ago. Having to hide what I was to fit in.

"That must've been hard, I didn't have to deal with my 'difference' until I was thirteen. I bet it would've been much harder if I had to deal with it since birth." Alcide said. He took a handful of chips out of the bag that he had made me hold. "That house, was it yours?" He asked. "No, that house belongs to Sookie, my cousin." I said. "Oh." He muttered.

"It was my gran's house, but she passed." I flinched. "Sorry." He muttered. "We're almost there." He said breaking the short silence. "I'll take you to Lou Pines, it's a Were bar. You should go in and get what info you can." Alcide said. I'd have to hand it to him, he was really doing better than I thought he would.

When we got to Lou Pines I got out of the truck shaking off the chips that Alcide dropped. He found that amusing. I was starting to like Alcide. He wasn't exactly like me, but he was different, like me. I related to him in a very easy way. Not to mention that he wasn't as complicated and secretive as Eric.

We walked in together. There was a very buff man at the door, in fact the whole bar was filled with very buff men. "Hey Alcide." The man said. "Hey." Alcide replied. We walked past him and Alcide whispered in my ear. "We gotta separate, they won't talk to you if they see me with you." He said and looked at me. "Okay." I said, he nodded and went to sit at the bar.

I walked over to the first table. I saw someone I had seen before. He was in the car, with Sookie and Bill. "Hey there." I said making eyes at the man. I needed to touch him without making it seem like I had to. I wouldn't give him a chance to hide his memories from me.

He raised his brows at me. "Honey, where'd you come from?" He asked. "A couple places." I purred. "You wanna party?" He asked me. "Sure do." I told him grabbing his hand. He pulled me along.

I saw Sookie being put into a room, it was a beautiful room, very luxurious. But she was scared. Bill was being spoken to, reasoned with. He spoke to a older man who was clearly a vampire. I pulled my hand away from him.

The guy took a small vile out of his pocket. He dropped V onto his tongue, and he offered me some. "No, I've got to go." I said, he grabbed my arm. His grip was painfully tight. "Let go of me." I spat each word to him. But, he wasn't afraid of me at all. When he pushed me against the wall, I screamed.

"Get the fuck off of her!" Alcide barked as he grabbed the man by his shoulders. The man got a hold of Alcide quickly, the V made him stronger and faster than other Weres. After a few punches the bouncer rushed in quickly breaking up the fight. I walked out with Alcide, his face was bleeding.

"Fuck!" He spat while he wiped his mouth. There was a lot of blood on his face. We drove to Alcide's house in silence. When we got there I went straight to the kitchen and damped a paper towel. "Come here." I said to a still very angry Alcide. He came to me and let me clean the dried blood off of his face.

"Did you at least get anything?" Alcide asked after I cleaned the blood off of him. "Yes, Sookie is being held, by a vampire. He seems to be making some kind of deal with Bill, I don't know maybe for Sookie's safety or something." I slurred feeling quite tired, I realized how close I was to Alcide. His body heat was too much not to realize it.

He was looking down at me. I inched closer to him. My body seemed to move on it's own. He put his hand on the small of my back. His face was getting closer to mine. My body collapsed into his arms. "Okay, you should get some rest. How long have you been awake?" He asked as he carried me to a room. "I didn't get much rest last night." It was truth, and it was Eric's fault for haunting my dreams.

Alcide laid me down and looked at me in a way that was maybe adoration. Maybe he thought he liked me, maybe he related to me as I had to him. In our differences…

* * *

><p>"I thought I would bring you some extra blankets. It gets kind of chilly in here at night." Alcide said, I noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt. Wow. "That's very thoughtful of you." I whispered, he smiled. He sat the bundle of blankets at the end of the bed. "You know, I'd be much warmer if I slept with you." I said biting my lip. His face looked animalistic as he registered what I had said.<p>

He came around the bed. As he picked me up again, he kissed me. It was a hot, and vastly passionate kiss. A kiss that he'd been holding in him the whole day. I knew I wanted him, I could be with him. He wasn't this complicated creature that was wondering what I was every second of his waking life. I could live in the daylight with him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and threw my head back to breathe. "Ella." Eric's voice came out of Alcide's mouth. I fell.

* * *

><p>When I woke up I was on the floor tangled in the bed sheets. Why the hell was I having creepy dreams left and right? I sighed and moved my hair out of my eyes. It was my subconscious that had a dirty mind, and sadly I couldn't control it. I unwrapped myself and looked around the room. The sun was up and I had been asleep for a while. There was a dull pain in the back of my head, at first I thought it was a caffeine headache, or maybe it was where I had fallen. It didn't matter at all. I pulled myself up and stretched my sleepy limbs.<p>

I walked out into the empty living room. Then into the kitchen where Alcide was making breakfast. "Hey Alcide." I peeped feeling a little weird, because of my very vivid dream. I felt as if I should be wearing one of his t-shirts and walking in to kiss him. Instead I stood next to where he sat the carton of eggs.

"How do you like em?" He asked me, I didn't understand. "The eggs, scrambled, sunny side up?" He asked with a small chuckle. "Oh, scrambled is fine." I said. "Hope you don't mind breakfast in the late afternoon." He chuckled. I checked my phone to see it was in fact late, it was five in the afternoon. I'd been out for a while.

"It's fine, but I just-" I rubbed my sleepy eyes. "What?" He asked. "It's funny, no guy has ever made me breakfast before." I laughed shortly. "I'm glad to be your first." He said with a smile. I giggled. He bit into a piece of bacon and winked at me. I laughed even more.

"What is the plan now?" Alcide asked me while he finished his food. "Well, I say we go back tonight." I said, he stopped eating and shook his head. "No." He said. "Why?" I asked him. "Tonight is Debbie and Coot's engagement party." He said taking his plate and dumping it in the dishwasher. "Alcide, I need more information." I pleaded, he looked at me for a second. "Fine, but I'm not staying long." He said before he walked away.


	10. All The Kings Men

There was a smile on my face, Alcide seemed like such a perfect guy. I couldn't begin to understand why Debbie would leave him. Then my thoughts went back to my dream, I could really be with him, it seemed like an easy relationship. But, I don't think I could know that. Since I've never been in a real relationship, I hadn't even had my first real kiss.

After I shook myself from thinking crazy thoughts, I dressed in a pair of daisy dukes, a black tank top, and a leather jacket. I straightened my hair and put tons of eyeliner on.

When I decided I looked badass enough I walked out into the living room where Alcide was peering out the window. He was wearing a flannel shirt and jeans. As I stared at him, I thought he would probably look good in anything, and much better in nothing at all. I pinched my arm and shoved the creepy thoughts to the back of my head.

He must've felt my eyes on him, he turned around and smiled at me. "Wow. You look." He stopped himself. "Badass?" I asked tapping my right combat boot on the floor. "Sure." He laughed. "You ready?' I asked him, he nodded and started out through the kitchen. He grabbed the keys off the counter and opened the door waiting for me to go out first. When I did he closed and locked the door.

* * *

><p>When we got to Lou Pines we had the same plan as last night. There were more Weres there tonight. Alcide and I parted ways, I went to the bar. I could see the man that attacked me the night before. I avoided him at all cost. As I walked further down the bar a guy stopped me. "Hey sexy, want a drink?" He yelled. I nodded and stood next to him. The bartender gave out shots of whiskey. Before anyone could say 'underage' I downed the first shot. It burned my throat.<p>

"Another?" He asked, I nodded. After that one I decided I'd walk away. As I did I bumped into a woman, about my height with reddish brown hair. Her face was set in a awful smirk. "Who the fuck are you?" She spat, I recalled seeing her face in Alcide's memory, she was Debbie. Well, she was much skinnier now, and her eyes looked baggy, but she was Debbie. Before I could say every curse word that came to mind Alcide interrupted. "She's with me Debbie." Then Debbie laughed for just a second. "What the fuck are you doing here Alcide?" She growled at him. "Debbie, you don't have to do this." He pleaded with her. His eyes becoming puppy like again.

"What's going on?" Coot walked up, I had seen him twice, he was in the car with Sookie and Bill, and he was in Alcide's memory. "We're just talking." Alcide said holding back his anger. "Haven't you heard Herveaux? Debbie's joining the pack." He sneered. "Tonight in fact." Coot put his arm around Debbie and kissed her. I was about to puke up the two shots I had just ingested. Coot looked at Alcide. "I think you better leave, Herveaux." He said. "No." Debbie said, that made everyone look at her curiously, me included. "Let him stay babe, he ain't going to leave you and me be if he don't see this." Her voice changed in a split second from worried to bitchy.

Debbie and Coot left. Alcide looked sick. "Hey, we can leave now if you want." I told him. "No, I'm going to watch." He sounded faithless and on his last breath. I nodded and turned to watch with him. Debbie was crowd surfing to the stage. She looked like a pile of bones bouncing through the top of the crowd. When she reached the stage she knelt before everyone. My eyes went wide when the man from the wolf's memories walked onto the stage. The older vampire that was talking to Bill.

"Russell Edgington?" Alcide breathed. I looked up at him. "Who is he?" I asked him. "He's a vampire." Alcide said keeping his eyes on Debbie. "I already knew that." I muttered. But he wasn't listening to me. The vampire bit into his arm and bled into shot glasses. "He's supplying them." Alcide whispered angrily. "I want to thank you all, for expanding our pack." He said loudly. His voice echoed through the whole place. Our pack? Well, this was undoubtedly the vampire Eric was looking for.

Before the vampire could finish the speech Alcide grabbed my arm and drug me out of the bar. "Alcide, what the hell? That's who's holding my cousin hostage!" I yelled as Alcide put me in his truck. "Stop!" He yelled, I looked up into his eyes, his irises were glowing yellow. I sat back in the seat and kept my mouth shut.

Alcide got into the drivers seat and cranked the truck up. He pulled out of there so quickly the wheels screeched. We were going at least eighty miles down the dark empty highway. "Alcide, please slow down." I said calmly. He seemed to not have heard me. "Alcide! Please would you fucking slow down!" I screamed. Alcide stopped the truck and looked over at me. "What?" He barked. "You're going to kill us both!" I yelled at him. "Over Debbie." I added with a sneer.

He took in a breath and closed his eyes for a second. "I'm sorry, Ella. I just, she was a good woman, when she wasn't drinking, or cheating." He said, I looked out the window at the swaying trees, I couldn't bare to see his sad face. "Sounds just lovely." I muttered. "She'd play horseshoes-" Alcide was reminiscing. "With your dad, and she'd help your mom plant tomatoes in the garden. I know, it's the only thing that's loud enough in your memories for me to read." I said feeling a little better for putting him in his place.

We went back to Alcide's house, he went straight to his room and slammed his door shut. I felt bad about saying what I had. He was in love with Debbie. I couldn't do anything about that. It didn't matter how hopeless it was, he truly loved her. I went into the room I was in the night before and laid on the bed. I wasn't sleepy, not in the least bit. I thought about Eric, I thought about Alcide, I thought about Bill, and I cried over Sookie. I knew her time was limited.

"_Now Bill, what is this?" Russell placed a piece of paper with my family tree on it between them. "I see you have circled Sookie's name Earl Stackhouse, and Ella Stackhouse. Why?" He asked him with a smirk of sheer arrogance. "I haven't done anything of the sorts, I can assure you." Bill said giving a bright but very unbelievable grin. "You know what I think Mr. Compton. I think we should bring Miss. Stackhouse down here so she can see this for herself." Russell said, Bill had fear written all over his face. "You have pledged your fealty to my kingdom." Russell hissed. "Do not lie to me!" He added loudly._

I came back to reality with a snap. When I looked at my phone I saw that it was six in the morning. I walked to the bathroom and took a shower and dressed in my normal clothes. A blue tank top and a pair of jeans. Alcide was up and about, I could hear his footsteps just outside the door. I opened the door and looked at Alcide who seemed to have been pacing outside my door.

"Morning." I said timidly. "Morning." He replied quietly. "I'm sorry." I started and he put his hand up. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blown up on you like that." He said looking down at me. "You weren't the only person to blow up last night." I whispered shaking my head. He smiled and held his arms open. I hugged him, the heat from his body made my face flush. His arm touched mine. He was going to talk to his pack master. Tell him what was going on. Last night while he was in his room he thought clearly to himself, and decided to get over Debbie, she was a lost cause.

"I saw Russell last night, Bill has pledged his loyalty to him." I said. "What do you mean you saw him?" Alcide asked. "Oh, I have, visions." I muttered, it sounded weird with me actually saying it out loud. "You mean like the future?" He asked. "Yes, Alcide like the future." I said pulling him along to the front door. "Now go tell your pack master everything." I said with a smile. "Will you be fine here by yourself?" He asked. "Yep." I answered and he left. After he closed the door I locked it and went on with my day.

I ate a sandwich, then watched TV for about an hour. The house looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a year, so that's what I devoted my day to doing. By the time I was finished, it was sparkling. The sun had been down for about thirty minutes. The door opened while I was sitting on the couch reading a magazine. I didn't think to look over my shoulder until I heard the lack of footsteps. Not exactly the lack of footsteps but the lack of noise they made. Before I could even turn around I heard someone. "Come on in."


	11. Blood, Guts, and Heartbreak

When I did turn around I saw Russell, and Coot, and Bill. I gasped and ran to the other side of the room. "Ella, they have Sookie." Bill told me calmly. "I fucking know that, you trader." I hissed at him as he inched closer to me. "You do, do you Miss. Stackhouse? How do you know, is it that little power of yours?" Russell asked me with curiosity in his eyes. "Don't want to tell me now?" He asked, and winked at me. "In good time, Miss. Stackhouse." Then he stepped away. "Get her you imbecile." He said to Coot.

Coot came after me while Bill just stood back. "Come here little girl." He chuckled. I glared at him and backed away further. He laughed louder as he came closer to me. His hands were on me when I put my hand up. The feeling of electrifying light flowed through me. It hit him with a harder force than it had with Marryann.

Russell laughed with pure glee from across the room. Then he was there in front of me. "Splendid." He said as he caught me by my arms.

We rode in a limo, Bill sat across from me. He looked emotionless, I had never seen this side of him. It frightened me.

When we arrived at the mansion of Russell Edgington he pulled me out of the car. He gave me to another vampire. Sookie was standing next to Eric. I stared at them, I didn't know how to react. "Sookie!" I called. She shook her head at me.

"Take our newest guest to the library Mr. Northman." Russell said, Eric smiled at him. I had no clue what the hell was going on. With a speed to fast for me to catch Bill staked the vampire that was next to him and he was on Russell's shoulders. But Russell threw him off, laughing.

In the commotion Eric grabbed me by my arm quickly and walked with me towards the library. "Sook, we're going to get out of here." I whispered to her before Eric pulled me into the hall with a jerk. "What the hell are you doing Eric?" I asked him, he just kept his eyes forward. "Eric! We have to get out of here!" I hissed at him. "Shut up." He said, I had to take a second to register it. Shut up? What the hell? "You shut up!" Was my response as he sat me on the antique looking couch.

"Eric what are you doing?" I asked him again when we were alone. "I've been waiting a very long time for this, and I won't allow you to get in my way." He said as he paced in front of me. "I thought-" I stopped myself, he couldn't have. "What?" He questioned stopping in front of me. "I thought you cared about me." I said looking at him. "You mean nothing to me!" He hissed in my face. The true rage and hate in his face confirmed it. Something inside me sizzled, a flame lit. "I fucking hate you." I growled in his face as he was still there. He moved then, flashing to the other side of the room.

Russell walked in. "Mr. Northman, leave us." He said quickly. "Miss. Stackhouse, good evening." He said with a pleasant smile sitting in front of me. "Mr. Edgington, I disagree." I said quietly, there was enough hate in my heart to make me brave. "You're more outspoken than your cousin, I must say." He smiled. "You're powers are much stronger than hers as well, I hear." He said crossing his legs. "And just who did you hear that from?" I asked, and as if I didn't have to ask at all he smiled and said. "Mr. Northman of course."

After a few seconds he sighed. "Now what is it that makes the light shoot out of your hands?" He asked. "Your cousin Sookie, did the same thing to one my wolves when we brought her in. I must know, Ella." He smiled over at me. "I don't know." He left it at that.

Russell didn't grill me to long, it seemed Eric had told him a lot about me. Russell handed me over to one of his vampire lackeys. Whom took me to the room that Sookie was in and left me there.

"Oh god Ella, are you alright?" She cried hugging me with all her might. It was weird, I was so angry that I couldn't see her memories. I blocked them out completely. "I'm fine, just fucking mad. Eric is a bitch." I grunted. She let me go and looked at me.

"Are you okay, did they hurt you?" I asked her brushing the burning hate away for a moment. "No, but Lorena tried." She said huffing at the fact. "Bill's maker?" I asked her, Lorena was just a flash in Sookie's memories when I first came home, I wasn't sure. "Yes, she's the one that arranged this whole thing." Sookie scowled at the wall.

While Sookie told me of her misadventures we sat on the bed. It was like a weirdly forced sleepover. After about an hour Sookie stopped talking. "Tara?" She asked the air, I could tell she was hearing her thoughts. "Tara's here?" I asked. "Yes, and she says that she'll get us out of here, soon." Sookie said. But nothing happened for a long while.

* * *

><p>When Sookie heard something she grabbed a small statue from the dresser. I picked up a vase. We hid behind the door. Tara walked in holding a bowl of almonds. "Great, you've fallen asleep and let them get away." She said. "No I didn't." A man walked in. Sookie went up behind him and hit him in the back. Tara smacked him in the head with the bowl. He grabbed Tara and threw her against the wall. Sookie hit him again. I ran up and kicked his legs which knocked him to his knees. Then I smashed the vase over his head.<p>

We ran out the room and down the stairs. "We have to get Bill from the slave quarters." Sookie said. Tara stared daggers at her. "Fuck that." She said. "Tara I'm not leaving here without him." Sookie pleaded. "He left me for dead." Tara spat. "You're an idiot." She added. "Go find a way out." Sookie demanded and ran to find Bill. I ran with Sookie, I worked so hard to find her, I wasn't letting her out of my sight anytime soon. She opened the door to what looked like a tool shed.

Bill was laid out in a pool of his own blood. His body had been cut up. He looked dead. "Oh my god." Sookie breathed and ran to him. "Bill say something!" She cried as she cradled his head. I didn't hear him say anything but I saw a woman, no a vampire. She ran up and threw Sookie against the wall. She bit into Sookie's neck. I ran to them as Sookie screamed. I grabbed for her and she punched me in the face. I fell on my back, my lip was busted. "Bitch." I spat out blood.

"What's that?" The vampire that I took to be Lorena turned to me with Sookie's blood on her mouth. Bill started to move. Lorena stalked towards me, Sookie ran up and held her hands up to Lorena's back. The light engulfed Lorena's body. It was weirder to see than to actually do. "Wow." I breathed. Lorena fell onto Bill who put his silver chain around her neck.

"Do it." Bill struggled to say. Sookie grabbed a broken wooden handle from a nearby wall and stood over Lorena. "Do it." Bill repeated. Then Lorena held out her arms. "I love you Bill." She whispered. "You wouldn't know love if it kicked you in the face!" Sookie shrieked with pure hate as she plunged the makeshift stake into Lorena's heart. Lorena turned into blood and guts within seconds.

Sookie kneeled beside Bill and started to pick through the remains of Lorena. I was to damn shocked to ask why. Tara and Alcide ran in. Oh Alcide! I ran to him and hugged his tall frame. "Oh am I glad to see you." I whispered as I let him go. This was no time for hugs, later Ella. "Is he dead?" Tara asked. Sookie shook her head in tears. "He looks dead." Tara said. "Stop saying that!" She cried while she picked through the guts. When she pulled out a key I realized it wasn't just her losing her mind.

She asked Tara to help her roll Bill up in the carpet. While they did that I looked up at Alcide. "What happened?" He asked reaching to wipe the blood from my lips. "We don't have time to explain, we have to get the fuck out of here." I finished saying as the door swung open. It was Debbie, she looked strung out. She was clutching a revolver. "You shouldn't have, a vampire burrito for me?" She cackled.

My heart jumped when she aimed the gun at Alcide. "Debbie, put the gun down." Alcide said calmly. "No fuck you!" She yelled. "Debbie, you don't have to do this." Alcide said extending his hands out in front of him. "Yes I do, this is who I am now." She said patting her brand. "No, no Debbie, that's just a scar, we all have scars." He said. "It's all your fault you know!" She yelped at Alcide. "You wouldn't even give me a baby!" She cried, I could see hurt in her eyes. Then for the first time I felt like I could understand Debbie.

"You didn't want to bring another one of our kind into the world!" She was breaking down, getting careless. I wasn't the only one who noticed. Tara ran full speed and knocked her into a bale of hay. Alcide sprang for the gun. That was when Coot came in. Alcide shot him in the chest, he fell to his knees. Coot's eyes gleamed with rage before Alcide shot him in the forehead. Debbie screamed as if she had been shot.

I helped Tara carry Bill outside. We loaded him into Alcide's truck. Sookie jumped into the back and before I could ask her what she was doing she slammed the door shut.


	12. Undying Love

Alcide got into the drivers seat after Tara and I got in. As soon as we were on the highway I started to breathe. Tara looked horrorstruck I thought it best not to ask her about her night.

Alcide pulled over halfway down the road. He went into the trees. Tara and I went to the back to check on Sookie. "Sookie?" I spoke loudly so she could hear me. But I received no answer. Tara started to bang on the back of the truck. "Sook!" She yelled. Alcide ran up and opened the door.

Sookie was lying in the back, two bites on each side of her neck, her arm cut open and Bill was lying next to her. He sat up and guarded his face from the sun. "What, what happened?" He asked. I ran to Sookie and felt for a pulse. She had one, but it was weak.

Tara jumped in the back and held Sookie. I felt numb, my mind didn't register any of it at once. "Get the fuck out!" Tara screamed at Bill and kicked him in the back. He fell on the ground. I noticed his skin wasn't burning. As I looked at him I felt betrayed. "W-why?" I asked as tears fell. Bill looked up with sorrow in his eyes. I was sobbing when Alcide threw me over his shoulder and dumped me in the truck.

As we drove to the hospital I was freaking out. Sookie was going to die. It just couldn't happen. "She's going to be fine, Ella." Alcide said reaching over to hold my hand. I laid down in the seat holding my knees against my chest. Alcide was driving very fast, Sookie was dying, and I was having a panic attack. "Calm down Ella." Alcide said rubbing my hair with his free hand. I tried to calm myself, but I just couldn't.

When we got to the hospital they took Sookie in. I wiped my face off with the inside of my shirt. I got out and followed them, I watched as they put Sookie in a bed and stuck her with needles. Then they took her away. We sat in the waiting room. Tara paced, Alcide held me while I cried. The doctor came back looking disappointed and confused.

"How's Sookie?" I asked her jumping from Alcide's hold. "Who are you?" She asked. "I'm Sookie's cousin." I told her. "Well...your cousin doesn't have a blood type. I've never, in my whole career seen a reaction like that. Are you the closest family member?" She questioned. I looked to Tara, she stepped up for me, I couldn't handle this. "No, her brother Jason is." She said for me as I retreated back into Alcide's grasp.

Tara had to call Jason, the doctor said that Sookie wouldn't make it. I was to deep in my hate and sorrow to come out for anyone.

After a while I heard Jason come in. "What happened?" He asked. I looked up. "Bill." Was all I said. We all were able to go into her room then. Again Alcide held me. Lafayette was talking but I was to in my head again to hear.

I got up to go to the bathroom after a while. I walked through the hall like a zombie. After I went to the bathroom, I washed my face and stared at myself. My face was deathly pale, my eyes were dark, my bottom lip was busted. My heart was shattered, I didn't know how to conduct myself. I slumped out of the bathroom to come face to face with Bill Compton.

"Ella." He said and before I even thought about it I punched him in his face. It didn't seem to have hurt him, but he frowned at me. "I deserved that." He whispered. "How could you Bill?" I said trying to keep my hands to myself. "I didn't mean to." He muttered. "How is Sookie?" He asked. "Half past dead." I mumbled. "Take me to her." Bill was begged, he looked like the emotional Bill that Sookie had fallen in love with. After a few seconds I started to the room. When we got there Tara jumped up. "Get the fuck-" She was screaming. "Tara he can help her." I whispered. Lafayette grabbed her. "Ella, are you sure?" Jason asked me. I nodded, when she was almost killed by two V dealers Bill brought her back with his blood and I was sure he could do it again.

Alcide walked over to me. I leaned against him. Bill took the IV and cut into his arm. He stuck the tube into his vein. Sookie looked better after a few minutes. Within fifteen minutes she was awake. Screaming. I jumped and so did everyone else in the room. Bill stared with horror, he looked horrified that she was afraid of him. After Sookie calmed down she took a deep breath. "We need to talk." She said and looked around the room. "Alone." Sookie added. "Fuck that." Tara spat. "Tara, please." Sookie whispered, Tara stomped out, we all followed.

Alcide walked with me. "Are you alright?" He asked me. I looked up at him. "I feel. I feel numb." I whispered as if it were a big secret. "It'll all be better." He assured me and embraced me. If Alcide, who recently murdered someone, and was told off by the woman he loved so much, was so sure that it would be okay. That this fucked up world would bring some good, well it's hard not to believe him.

Sookie was released from the hospital. As soon as I knew she was safe with Jason, I got into the truck with Alcide. I hadn't slept in such a long while, I started to feel empty headed. I laid down in the seat and let my eyelids fall. Sookie, and Jason were safe and I was safe here with Alcide, for the moment.

* * *

><p>When I awoke it was four-twenty-seven am. I was lying in my bed, while Alcide was snoring at the end of the bed. I smiled at the sound. As I sat up I felt a wave of calm float over me. It was short and steady, but it was gone before I could enjoy it. I got up and tiptoed through the hallway. I opened Sookie's door and peeked in. She was sleeping. I closed the door and walked to the bathroom. I took a quick shower and got dressed in a tank top and shorts.<p>

Since I wasn't sleepy anymore I went to the back porch and sat on a rocking chair.

* * *

><p>"<em>Now Ella, Sookie, Hadley. Don't be getting into trouble." Gran called to us from her rocking chair on the back porch. Sookie and Hadley were both seventeen, and I was ten years old. We were playing together while mom went to the doctor. We walked through the graveyard. "Do you think they know we're stomping all over them?" I asked my sister and my cousin. They stopped and looked at me. "No dummy their all as dead as a doornail." Hadley said. "You know what I think Ell?" Sookie smiled and threw her arm over my shoulders. I always wished she was my sister instead of Hadley. "I think that all these people have done gone to heaven. So no they don't know we're stomping all over them." She said with a smile. <em>

_Then I heard the gate squeal, it made me jump. Someone grabbed me. Before I heard Hadley laughing I was running. I didn't stop even after I heard her. When I made it back to the porch where gran was sitting I took a breath. "Looks like you've seen a ghost sweetheart." She said as she patted her knee for me to sit. "Hadley scared me." I muttered feeling stupid for even being afraid in the first place. "Well honey, don't you be scared. When your afraid of something you know what you should do?" She asked and I shook my head. "You remember, you're strong, and brave, and nothing can harm you."_

* * *

><p>I missed gran so much, she was my rock. Gran was my mentor and she was the only person other than Sook that truly understood me. She was gone, but her words were burned in my brain. Every word that she had ever said to me in fact. I had sat there for three hours remembering. Gran seemed to have known what I was before I even told her.<p>

As I was sitting there watching the sun reflect off of a puddle of water, I heard a car. I just thought it was Jason coming back to check on Sookie. But then I heard a voice that I haven't in so long it made me jump. "Ella?" I looked over at Hadley. She was standing on the steps. She looked better than she had two years ago. She looked clean. "Hadley?" I cried, I didn't know it till that second but I missed her terribly. "Hey." She said, keeping her distance. She was hiding something from me. "Where the hell have you been?" I asked her. "What do you mean? You left too." She said. "I know, I know." I muttered giving an apologetic smile.

"I got a message for you from Eric Northman." Hadley took a breath. "He said Russell is coming for you, and he also said not to trust Bill." Hadley sounded afraid of something. In fact the whole time she was talking she shook. "Eric, how?" I had no clue how they'd know each other. "I can't, I have to leave, it'll be smart if you and Sookie did the same." She said and ran to her car. Before I could yell at her she sped out. I took a deep breath. How could I trust Eric? He left me in that vampire's mansion to die, while he did whatever. Sookie almost died because of Eric, and, well, because of Bill.

I needed answers, that was something I couldn't deny. But that would have to wait, I knew tonight would be bad. Russell would come for me and Sookie, and we'd have to try and keep ourselves alive.


	13. All About The Blood

Alcide was still sleeping when I slipped back into my room. I closed the window and looked at my cell-phone. This would most likely be my last day alive. Because, I would die to save someone I loved. I would also die before I became an ornament for a hateful little vampire. Lose, lose situation, it was.

I laid next to Alcide and looked up at the ceiling. Alcide started to move around, I looked over at him. He opened his eyes and smiled. "Hey." He said. "You carried me to bed?" I asked him. "Yes." He said. "Thank you." I whispered. He sat up and stretched. "No problem." He yawned. He turned to look at me. He was about to say something when his phone rang. He took the call and walked out of the room. I waited for him to return.

When he came back there was a frown on his face. "Debbie and her wolves torched my sister's salon." He said with anger. "I'm sorry but I've got to go." He told me. I got up and hugged him. "Come with me." He whispered. "I wish I could. But, I have to stay with Sook." I said, he looked down at me and nodded.

"You know, I wish I could've met you before all this." He said holding my hand in his. "I'm glad I met you. Doesn't matter to me in what kind of situation." I laughed looking at the floor. Alcide put his finger under my chin and brought my face up to his. He placed a gentle kiss on my lips. "I'll see you around Ella Stackhouse." Was what he said to me before he left.

I found myself back in the old rocking chair on the back porch. The feeling I had in the pit of my stomach was indescribable, I could die tonight. It was a great possibility. But, what else could I do? I wouldn't run, it just wasn't who I was.

As I rocked in the chair there was a sound coming from the woods. Leaves crunching, twigs snapping. Someone was coming my way. I jumped to my feet and watched the tree line. The woman I had been seeing walked out. She was in a long white dress and her feet were bare. Her beauty seemed to have been multiplied since I had last seen her.

She glanced at me and smiled. Then she turned and walked right back into the trees. "Hey stop! Please!" I screamed running after her. She stood waiting for me in the shade of the trees. "Who are you?" I asked her on impulse. "I am your mother, Eleanor." She said, her accent was British. "You can't be." I whispered keeping my eyes on her face. She looked so much like me. No, she couldn't be my mother. My mother was dead.

"Yes I can, love." She smiled. "I know you have a gift, I know because you are my child." My body froze when she said that. There was something so inhumanly about her, but I just couldn't understand what it was. "Tonight, I shall visit you. You, Eleanor will know the truth." She said. "Ella!" Sookie yelled from the house. I turned to the house and turned back to the woman. She was gone.

Quickly I ran back to the house and stumbled through the backdoor. Sookie looked like she had never been bit by a vampire in her life. Her skin held a sort of glow. "Hey, I was wondering why you went into the woods." She said taking a sip of her orange juice. "Oh, I was chasing a…cat." I came up with my lame excuse slowly. Sookie just nodded.

I sat down at the table with her. "Sook, Hadley came by this morning." I said slowly making sure she heard me. "What? Why?" She asked with a shocked expression. "She said that Eric told her Russell was coming for us, and…" I stopped not knowing how to tell her the next part. "And what Ell?" She asked looking at me. "Not to trust Bill." I mumbled not looking her in the eye. "And we should trust Eric? If he would've helped Bill and I, Russell would've never caught on to you being in Jackson." Sookie said with disgust thick in her voice.

"Do you think we should hightail it out of here before dusk?" I asked Sookie as she walked into the living room. "I'm not running." She said, and I grinned at her. "I knew you wouldn't."

* * *

><p>The rest of that day was hard, the suspense put me on edge. I sat in my room watching the backyard from the window. When the sun fell, Sookie was ready. She clutched gran's shotgun waiting in the kitchen. I slipped a small knife into my shoe, just in case. Bill watched the front door and Jessica backed Bill up. I was on the second floor, I was Sookie's back up.<p>

* * *

><p>I was ready for whatever came at me. I watched as Debbie kicked in the front door. It was odd that she wasn't in wolf form. Her eyes were black and her face was set in a god awful scowl. Then as if she sensed I was there she looked slowly up at me, grinning psychotically. I stood my ground as she ran up the stairs never breaking eye contact. When she got about five steps away from me, she stopped.<p>

"You destroyed everything, you little cunt." She growled. The rage in her voice was thick and uncanny. "Believe me Debbie, I only watched, and I can say truthfully. It was all you." I whispered smiling at the crazy bitch that could easily snap my neck. "Shut the fuck up!" She screamed. She was walking towards me. "I'm going to enjoy this." She snarled. Before she could hit me first, I brought my hand up and punched her in her face. She reeled back and wiped blood from her nose, grinning the whole time.

Before I could run she knocked me right in my jaw. The pain was instant and the blood came right after. It poured from my mouth down onto my shirt. When I focused, Debbie was giggling. I tackled her, we fell down the stairs together. When we reached the bottom she crawled on top of me and hit me in my face with unparalleled force. I gagged on my own blood for a second.

When I regained my mindfulness I knocked her over and climbed on top of her. I hit her once, twice, three times with the strongest force I could muster. Blood poured from her nose and mouth. She became aware faster than I had. As she did I reached down to my shoe and pulled out the knife. I stood and backed up until I hit the wall. Debbie sprang to her feet, it was easy to see that she could do this all night. Whereas I only had a little bit of fight left in me.

"Don't take another fucking step, Debbie!" I yelled at her. She laughed again. "I ain't fucking scared of you, little bitch." I already knew that. As she stepped closer, I felt the light inside me. The light enveloped my hand that held the knife and propelled it forward at an alarming speed. It slashed Debbie's left cheek. She let out a bloodcurdling screech. When she looked back up her face was bleeding profusely and she was coming right back at me.

Sookie walked in holding the shotgun at Debbie. "Get out of my house, bitch!" Sookie spat. Debbie looked at Sookie and kept coming. Then Sookie emptied a shell into the wall next to where she stood. "Next time, I won't miss." Sookie sounded deadly serious. Debbie seemed to have gave up. She looked at me with a bloody smirk. "I ain't finished with you." She whispered before she ran out of the house.


	14. Vampire Kisses

After Debbie was gone Bill ran in. Sookie stared at him all starry eyed. I thought I'd give them a moment, I went upstairs to the bathroom. There was blood staining my pure white skin. I cleaned my face and made sure I had no missing teeth. Afterwards I went into my room and looked out the window. That woman stood there in the backyard. I ran full speed down the stairs and out the backdoor.

When I reached the yard she was smiling. "You're quite fast." She said quietly. "Would you like to take a walk with me Eleanor?" She asked. "No, I would like some answers." I said to the woman who claimed to be my mother. "I could stand here all night trying to tell you everything, or you can just take my hand." The woman said offering her pale hand to me. As soon as I took it I felt the power of the light.

Athenodora wanted a child, but she could not let her child live in the land of the Fae. She left Fae many times and became aware of a man by the name of Corbett Stackhouse. He seemed to have fairy blood in him. Athenodora approached him once, and that's when she conceived her only child. When she gave birth to the child, she had to leave it with Corbett, she just couldn't subject her child to the awful life that she had lived in Fae. Corbett was shocked, and begged his mother to hide his infidelity from his wife Michelle. Adele accepted and tried to care for the child herself, but her daughter Linda wanted the child. That child was named Eleanor Stackhouse.

When I recovered I was being held by the woman, who was undoubtedly my mother. I was sobbing. My whole life was a lie, things were hidden from me by the people I loved the most. "I didn't want to leave you, but, you see I had to." She cooed smoothing my hair. "Oh, but I've watched you. So brave you are." Her voice was strong and I felt the love in her grasp.

After about an hour of my sobbing and being held by my mother, I sobered. I sat up and looked at her. She moved my hair from my eyes and wiped a tear from my cheek. "Darling, we have to talk." She told me, I nodded and watched as she tried to figure a way to put something. "You have to stay away from vampires." She said. "Why?" I asked her. "Because they will take your light." She said simply.

"I'm not going to be around any vampires. Well, except for Bill." I said. Her eyes narrowed instantly at me. "You cannot be close to any vampires." She meant what she said. "No, you see, Bill is Sookie's boyfriend." As I thought of it, Sookie and Jason were my half brother and sister. Wow. "It does not matter my dear, they cannot help themselves. If you were to bleed next to one of them, they could not control themselves. They would suck the light out of you within seconds." She said. "Vampires were the death of our kind." The way she said our kind made me feel inhuman.

About three hours before dawn, Athenodora stood. "I must go back. I will try and come again, soon." She said. "Goodbye, Athenodora." I said to the woman who had given birth to me. "Goodbye Eleanor." And then she was gone.

I spent a few minutes on the porch alone before Sookie walked outside. "Ella." She said softly. "What are you doing out here?" She asked. "I'm, uh." I felt caught in a lie. Sookie sat down beside me. "Why are you crying?" She asked. I didn't have it in me to tell her the whole story. "Ella, I know it's scary being hunted down and nearly killed. Hell, it'd be weird if it didn't scare you. But, I know you're strong, you've always been." She was going on with her speech until I hugged her. I really needed hugs.

"Bill says we should stay at Jason's for the day." She spoke into my hair while I clung to her. "Okay." I agreed. The ride to Jason's house was quiet. I was thinking over everything I had learned in the last hour. It was a lot, a whole life changing event in fact. But, I wouldn't change how I grew up for the world. I had my aunt as a mother, and my father as an uncle. Then I realized, my gran was still my gran. I felt like that meant something.

When we got to Jason's I went to his room and laid on his bed. I felt tired but, my mind was going so fast, there was no way I could sleep. I could hear Bill and Sookie's muffled voices through the wall, but I hardly paid attention to what they had said. It was only when Sookie called me that I went into the living room.

"What is it?" I asked walking into the intense air between them. "Ella, you're a- no we're-" Sookie stuttered a bit. "Fairies." I finished. Her eyes were very wide when I glanced over at her. "How did you?" Bill started to ask. "A woman by the name of Athenodora visited me." I shrugged, I didn't feel the need to tell Bill everything. He did help Russell capture me after all. "She must be your fairy godmother." Sookie said. If she only knew the truth there was in that statement.

Dawn was about to approach. Sookie and I sat on the couch watching TV. Bill stepped outside.

After a few minutes Sookie went after him. Following Sookie outside I saw Bill and Eric staring at each other. "Oh give me a break, you left us at Russell's house to die." Bill said with hate thick in his voice. "Where's the fucking truth for once?" Bill asked loudly. Eric got closer to him. "The truth? Well why don't you tell Sookie the fucking truth?" He asked Bill. "If you really love her?" Eric added.

Sookie looked from Bill to Eric. "What truth?" Sookie asked Bill standing next to him. "The truth about what you two are. Which I've already told you." Bill said smoothly. "Why are you here?" Sookie looked up at Eric. "To pretend you care about our safety, so you can sell us out to Russell again, or is it the queen this time?" Sookie asked him.

Then Eric looked over at me, it was the first time we had made eye contact, since he told me he cared nothing about me. "You really believe he is trustworthy?" Eric asked me motioning to Bill. Then with no thought at all I spoke to him. "As Bill said you left us all at Russell's house to die, that is something I know for a fact. You told me how you really felt about me as well." I flinched at the memory. "I'm not gullible enough to believe that Bill is untrustworthy just because you say it." I finished regaining my confidence.

It was the look on Eric's face that changed everything in a spilt second. "Believe what you want. I won't be around much longer anyway." He was afraid, truly afraid of something. He turned to look at me one more time, pain readable on his face. "I'm sorry, Ella Stackhouse." He gave me the look that I had only caught, by chance twice before, this time it was longer and more meaningful. He cared. My breath caught in my throat and before I could utter a word, he was gone.

After the whole ordeal, I tried to assure myself it was one of his charades. Eric Northman was a very old heartless creature. He cared nothing about me, it was hopelessly ignorant to believe otherwise. My heart told me different, though. It told me that he was capable of love. That Eric Northman was a old wounded creature. He had been around long enough to perfect hiding his true feelings.

The whole day I thought like that, erratic, unsmooth, and completely irrational. It went on to the point of nightfall. Which as soon as it fell, I snuck out of the house and got in Sookie's car and drove brainlessly to Shreveport. When I finally saw the red lights of Fangtasia I stopped and got out. It was closed, I still knocked on the door as I had the night Sookie went missing.

Pam answered it and held not even a fake smile on her face for me. "What?" She asked. "I need to see Eric. Please." Asking people nicely usually resulted in some kind of accomplishment. Pam just stared at me. "Pam, he said that he wouldn't be around much longer. What the hell does that mean?" I asked her, she looked away awkwardly. It was true, true enough for Eric to tell Pam. She moved from the door and held up her hand for me to follow her.

Eric was sitting in a chair looking at the floor, sulking. Pam looked at him and sighed before she left. I looked at Eric, his wide shoulders were slumped over and he was silent. I walked over to where he sat and placed my hand on his shoulder. "Eric." I whispered, there were flashes of him almost dying before Godric turned him, the feeling of slipping away. But he knew it wouldn't be a peaceful as that. There would be no mercy for the soulless vampire that he had become. His thoughts and feelings of despair struck me deeply.

He stood up and was face to face with me in the same second. "Why are you here, Ella?" He asked. "I want to know what you meant when you said you wouldn't be around much longer." I couldn't seem to raise my voice above a whisper. "I'm going to meet the true death quite soon." He tried to wear a smile but it wouldn't stick. "But, why?" I asked him. "I killed Russell's family, he has almost two thousand years on me. Is that all you came here for?" He looked at the wall when he asked me that. His voice went cold when he took his eyes off of me.

"Did you mean it?" I asked him, he knew that I meant when he told me I was nothing to him. "No, unfortunately, I did not. This would be much simpler if I had." He said. "You should go." Eric spoke coldly. I walked around to look at him, he was sad. "Is this goodbye?" I asked him looking into his eyes. "Yes." He said quickly, our faces, our lips, were just inches away from one another's.

Eric's cold hand was on my neck bringing me to him. Our lips met and a fire erupted in my body sending thunderous waves over every inch of me. Our lips moved in unison. I could feel the warmth of myself through him, his pain, my warmth, our love. When it became to much for me to handle I retreated.

He stared down at me, I could see the fear in his eyes. When Pam opened the door, he iced over again. "What?" He asked. "Blah, blah, vampire emergency, blah." She purred with her hands on her hips. Eric looked at her, then back at me before he walked out of the room with her closing the door behind him. I waited there for a minute then two. When I was done waiting I went to open the door. It was locked. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." I muttered as I tried to open the door again.

When Eric came back he looked colder than he had before. "Why the hell did you lock the door?" I asked him. Eric didn't say a thing as he threw me over his shoulder. "Put me down!" I screamed hitting him. He didn't speak until he threw me down in his basement. He put a chain around my neck like a dog. The only thing he said to me was. "Sorry." Then he left me there in the dark.


	15. The Light Went Out

I sat by myself for about an hour. Then I heard the door open. Sookie came to my rescue. "Sook!" I yelled at her as she ran down the steps. When she reached me she took the chain off of my neck. "How did you know I was here?" I asked her. "Because you're my flesh and blood." She said as she helped me up. When we ran out into the bar Pam was spraying something into Bill's eyes. Sookie ran back into the basement. When she returned she was holding a silver chain. She ran to Pam and slung it around her neck.

The sizzling of Pam's skin made me cringe. While Sookie handled Pam I went to Bill. "Can you see?" I asked him. "No, but you must subdue Pam." He said quickly. "Sookie is." I told him, I damped a rag and patted his eyes with it. When Bill got his sight back, we got into Sookie's car. I laid in the backseat. Eric had betrayed me…again. I was to tired to think about all the reasons I had to love him and to hate him. As I fell asleep my mind was at ease, everything fell away.

My head hit the back of the seat very hard. "Fuck!" I yelled, then I fell back into the seat with a forceful impact. Before I could get up the door opened. Eric was standing there. Russell was standing next to him. "Well hello there." He said with a smile.

Bill sat in between me and Sookie in the backseat while we rode back to Fangtasia. Russell was talking the whole time. I hated the sound of his voice. When we stopped Eric pulled me out, I sneered at him. Russell walked around the car holding onto Sookie. He grabbed me with his empty hand. "Let's go ladies." He said as he ushered us into the bar. Eric and Bill started to fight, I hoped for just a second that Bill would rip Eric's throat out.

When we got into the bar, Pam smiled. Russell sat me and Sookie down at a table. When Eric came in he was holding Bill by his neck. Pam flashed away and came back with a silver chain, she chained Bill to the chair. Eric looked at me for a second. I wanted to scream in his face, but I held my tongue. Eric whispered something into Russell's ear keeping his eyes on mine.

"Fairies! You expect me to believe they're fairies. A species extinct for a millennia, if they existed at all. You think I wouldn't notice if there were fairies bouncing around in the world!" Russell was going on and on. I was starting to wonder if my ears would bleed. "I didn't say they were full fairy, they are fairy human hybrids, which help saved them from detection." Eric corrected Russell.

"They may well be the last of their kind, your only chance to walk in the sunlight." Eric looked suavely down at Russell, who was smiling. Russell walked to the bar and rubbed a glass vase full of blood and guts. I was wondering what the hell was up with that. "I don't believe you Mr. Northman." He said and I felt relief roll over my body.

"Drink their blood." Eric offered, then I stiffened. If I bled in this small space full of vampires I'd be in a lot of trouble. "Now that's just nuts, nothing in our blood is a supernatural sunscreen for ya'll. Why would you think that?" Sookie yelled. I would've contributed if I wasn't stricken by fear. "Sookie you're wrong, what Eric says is true." Bill said looking again to be a trader. "No!" Sookie gasped. "I never told you." Bill sighed.

"Bill has experienced it for himself." Eric said. I recalled when he had nearly drained Sookie, he didn't burn in the sunlight. My heart was beating so quickly in my chest I thought it would bust. "Oh, well that's reassuring. A testimonial from the mendacious Mr. Compton." Russell said sarcastically raising his hands.

Sookie jumped out of her seat. "A new beginning we'll start over?" She was yelling. Bill interrupted her showing his emotionless side. "I can't force you to believe it, you'll have to see for yourself." "Why are you doing this to me?" Sookie asked, I watched as my life was about to end.

I should've never came back home, I should've left when I had the chance. "We tried fighting him, we'll never win." Bill said shaking his head. Russell sighed. "Alright." He said. Eric smiled. "On one condition." Russell announced. "What is it?" Eric asked. "You go first." Russell smiled, Eric smiled back and said. "I'd love to."

There was a little time before anything happened. Sookie held my hand, she was just as terrified as I was. When Eric walked back in I felt my body go rigid once more. My life trickled down to nothing, but pain and hurt. Eric met my eyes, Sookie still held my hand. I could feel the pain of Russell's bite on her arm. I let go of her. I knew my own pain would be coming very quickly. Eric put his hands on my face. I could see he was sorry. I didn't care.

His fangs cut into my neck quickly. There was a second of pain, then everything went blurry. After the blur came the blackness.


	16. Restored

Bill was looking down at me. I sat up and looked over at Sookie who was standing a few feet away. "Stay away from me Bill." She spat at him. "It was all a ploy to save you. Russell's gone, see." I thought for a second. "Where's Eric?" I asked. Pam was crying. "He's out there burning." She said.

I ran out the door and found them lying next to each other, handcuffed. "Eric, where's the key?" I asked. Eric looked up at me. "Leave." He said, but I could see easily that he didn't mean it. Sookie came outside. I checked in Eric's pockets, nothing. "I can't find the key." I said helplessly to Sookie.

Sookie looked over at me. She held out her hand, I took it. Together the light was multiplied. I held my hand at the cuffs, they broke. Then I moved my hand to Russell, he flew against the wall, laughing the whole time. Our powers bound together was so strong. I reached down and pulled Eric by his arm into the bar. When he was in Pam ran to him. "He needs blood, he's to weak to drop fang." She whispered. I ran to the bar and found a small knife, I cut my wrist quickly and ran back to Eric.

I placed my wrist against his lips. His face started to heal quickly. I saw Godric, he told Eric to forgive Russell. When he was healed I pulled my wrist away. When I turned around, Bill and Pam were staring, fangs extended. I moved away from them and wiped my blood on my shirt.

"Go outside and get Russell." Eric said, I knew he would. "Why the hell would you want to do that?" Pam asked him. "Because Godric showed himself to me, he told me to forgive Russell." Bill rolled his eyes at Eric. "Now, Eric please do the right thing and let that little fucker burn." Pam said. "Sook, will you help me?" I asked her, she nodded. Sookie grabbed a silver chain and followed me out the door.

Russell was charred to the extreme. This was very different from Godric's death, Russell was being served agony and pain. That's the way it should be. "Well it's about time." He said, even though he was quite close to death he was still a small arrogant asshole. Sookie wrapped the chain around his neck and started to drag him inside. I stood there for a second watching the sun glitter off the pavement.

When I walked back in Eric took my arm. He dragged me to his office and closed the door. I turned away from him. "Ella." He said making me look at him. "You have more Fae blood than Sookie." He said, I froze. "Tell me why." He didn't sound forceful. "No." I whispered and looked up at him. I wiped the blood that trickled from his ear down his neck. "Get some rest." I told him. I walked out not looking back even though I wanted to very badly.

I sat at a back booth trying to stay awake. But, I just couldn't.

I awoke to silence, of course I thought the worse. I ran into the bar area, Russell was tied to a pole still charred. Sookie was sitting in Eric's throne reading a magazine. It was truly a sight. "Hey." Alcide said from behind me. When I saw Alcide I had to stop myself. I wanted to jump into his arms, oh how I needed a hug.

"How'd you know I was here?" I asked him. He smiled. "Eric called me, said that if I did one last thing for him, my debt would be paid off." I nodded and without holding out any longer walked over for a hug. His body was warm as always. As he held me there Bill, Pam, and Eric entered the room. Eric stared from across the bar. When Eric saw me looking at him he looked away.

"When you two are done, we must go." Eric spat as he pulled Russell across the floor. Alcide let go of me and smiled. "See ya." Alcide said touching my cheek. "Bye." I peeped as they left.

Sookie drove us home. She was angry. When we got there, I went upstairs and showered. Sookie lent me one of her summer dresses since I had no clean clothes. I put the white dress on, it looked weird compared to my pale skin tone. After I was dressed I went out of the bathroom to hear Sookie crying.

I ran down the stairs to see Eric covered in dried cement. "Get the fuck off my porch you dead piece of shit!" She screamed at him. When I reached Sookie's side I looked up at him. I took Sookie's hand. Eric had told her that Bill came here to procure her and I for the queen. When he realized I was gone, he settled for Sookie. He let those V dealers almost beat her to death so he could give her his blood. It was all true. Eric smiled as he told her.

"I'm sorry that you are suffering." He said to Sookie. She was sobbing, she took off. I was left standing there looking at Eric who was still smiling. "Eric, you are the sickest bastard I've ever met." I whispered to him. "You can do anything to me, but I won't let you hurt my sister." I growled. "Sister?" Eric whispered with wide eyes. When I realized I had let that slip, I slammed the door in his face.


	17. What Was Left

Sookie was gone, I knew she needed to be alone. I sat on the couch and didn't try to clear my head or ponder over love or why there were so many bad things happening. I just laid back and stared at the ceiling, thinking nothing.

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><p><em>Sookie sat crying over gran's grave. A woman I had never seen before held out her hand. "Sookie come with us." She said. Sookie seemingly agreed taking her hand. Then with a burst of light she was gone.<em>

* * *

><p>A ragged gasp escaped my throat. I had no clue what I had just seen, but I knew it wasn't good. Without a second to think, I ran out of the house. "Sookie!" I yelled running to gran's grave. When I approached Sookie, she was holding her hand out to the woman. I reached her just in time to grab Sookie's hand. There was light everywhere. It engulfed my body with a distant cold feeling as if submerging under water. Before it really started it was over and I was left standing on a stone ground.<p>

"Ella." Sookie smiled at me. When I realized we were in Fae I started to worry. "You're a fairy as well." The woman said. "I am Claudine." She smiled brilliantly. When I looked around I didn't see the world I had through my mother's memories but a land of beauty.

My mother stood not far from where we were. She hadn't noticed we were here just yet. When she did notice me her eyes went wide with fear.

She walked over to me and grabbed my hand. "You can not be here Ella, it's not safe." She said silently keeping a smile on her face. "I followed Sookie." I had to speak out loud. "Please get out of here, before." Then she stopped and let go of me. She looked hopeless. "A trap? The trap is the world you've left behind." A tall woman walked out. She was speaking to Sookie who bowed in her presence. My mother inched a couple steps away from where I stood.

"No need to bow, we're all friends here." The deep voice of the woman boomed through the courtyard for everyone to hear. "I'm sorry, I just have no idea who you are." Sookie said quietly. "You can call me Mab, I'm the one who sent for you. Have you tried the light-fruit?" Sookie shook her head. "It's really very good." She insisted. "I don't want any." Sookie shook her head.

"You should try it." Mab said smoothly. "I said I don't want any!" Sookie yelled throwing it down. I seemed to be the only one to notice how it looked after it fell to the floor. It smashed with the grace of an already rotten fruit. I looked back at my mother who had her eyes stapled to the woman who called herself Mab.

"The future of our kind is in peril." Mab said with a sneer. "A vampire breached our realm because he had a taste of fairy blood, your blood." She spoke loudly. I walked over to stand beside Sookie who was shaking just a bit.

"In the old kingdom vampires nearly drank us to extinction they drove us onto this plane." Her voice was stern. "Well it won't happen again, I'm staying away from vampires. I can guaran-damn-tee you that." Sookie said loudly. As I watched Mab's face it changed. "Oh I know." She said darkly. Her distorted face made me stare in confusion and diluted horror. Had I really seen that? I couldn't be sure because her face went right back to normal as soon as she spoke again.

"We can't have bearers of the Fae on the human plane any longer, we've sown to many seeds with humans, now it is time to harvest!" When she said that I grabbed Sookie's hand. My mother was right, this place wasn't safe.

Sookie and I used our powers at once. We blew Mab against a tree and within a second the whole place had changed. It looked like a barren desert and the fairies that looked beautiful mere seconds ago, now were revolting dirty creatures. Sookie and I ran for our life. It seemed like we did that a lot these days.

There were explosions all around us as we ran. People were screaming and the hideous fairies were clawing at us from behind. My rapid heartbeat sounded in my ears and I kept my bare feet going against the pain of the rocky dirt under me.

"Come with us we can help you." Two Fae men stopped us. They looked like the others. The one holding Sookie seemed to combust within a second. "Do not fear, we can get you home." He looked up. "Hold them off, I've got the humans." He yelled.

As more fairies ran after us the man screamed. "Follow me!" We had no choice. We stopped in front of a large break in the earth. "You have to jump!" He yelled. "We can't jump in there." I gasped looking at the man. His eyes were a striking blue, it stood out from the rest of his face.

"My sister was the one who abducted you. Because the crown wishes to seal off the human world from Fae forever." He spoke quickly. "And you don't?" Sookie asked. "It was once our world to, it is our right to travel there." He said, then he paused. "Have you eaten the light-fruit?" He asked. We both said no. "Then jump." He said.

I could feel something coming, I wasn't sure what but it made my stomach twist into knots. Without thinking of the awfully great possibility that we could simply die I grabbed Sookie's hand and jumped.

* * *

><p>We fell onto the grass of the graveyard as if waking from a nightmare. The breath was knocked out of me. I gasped for air. Sookie was sitting over me. "Ella, are you okay?" She asked. After a few seconds of gasping I was. Sookie helped me up slowly and I looked around. It was daytime all of a sudden and the air felt a little chilly it looked to be late afternoon maybe five o'clock.<p>

We walked back to the house not speaking, it was all just to weird. When we came upon the house our already twilight-zoneish day had gotten even weirder. The house was beautiful, it had been restored, it looked like it had when I was a baby.

Sookie and I looked at each other for all of two seconds with questions we knew that one another had no answer to. We walked up the porch. A man stopped us. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked. "Into my house." Sookie said pushing past him. The inside was even better than the outside. "Honey, if you don't come out I'm calling the police." He said.

"Do it call the cops, because I would love an explanation." Sookie said throwing her hands up. After Sookie walked into the kitchen, I shrugged at the man and closed the door in his face.

Sookie and I sat at the kitchen table in silence. I supposed she was really waiting on the cops. I really didn't know how she would explain the whole weird as hell day we had been having, well without sounding like she needed a trip to the loony bin. I knew that if she was going to tell the cops everything I'd have to agree and that meant we'd both get a free straightjacket.

Sookie pulled out a watch flipping it over in her hand a couple of times, I had never seen the watch before. After a few seconds of staring hard at the watch she started to cry. "Who's watch is that?" I asked her. "It was granddaddy Earl's. He was there." She said. I frowned, I had never met my granddad, but from gran's memories he was a saint.

"Police." I heard Jason's voice, Sookie got up and I followed. "Jason?" Sookie asked wiping her eyes. Jason stared from me to Sook, he was shocked, and I just couldn't tell why. "S-Sookie?" He gasped and ran to her. "I can't believe it's you." He paused. "Ella!" He said with a tear in his eye. He let go of Sookie and squeezed me until I couldn't breathe.

"Jason, why are you dressed like a cop?" Sookie asked him but he didn't listen. "Jesus Christ we thought you two were dead. We've been looking everywhere for you. We figured a vampire must've did it. Maybe Bill, or that crazy tall one." Jason went on. "Eric." I muttered on reflex, the anger from last night still in the pit of my stomach.

"Hold on, hold on. Stop a second." Sookie insisted. "What is today's date?" Sookie asked. "T-today is uh, October 21st." Jason said. "We've been gone for two weeks?" Sookie asked looking over at me. I stared wide eyed. Two weeks? No wonder why it felt a little colder outside.

"Sook, you two have been gone for twelve and a half months." The sentence he had said set me reeling back. A year, a year? A whole year of my life was wasted. I was nineteen years old now. I missed my own birthday, and I was worried about my car insurance.

Everything that had seemed dully weird today was set on the backburner. We were in Fae for all of fifteen minutes, twenty tops. But, we had actually been gone for a year and two weeks. This wasn't weird anymore it was completely insane.

Jason, Sookie, and I sat at the table, my head still felt numb to the unbelievable new findings. "You sold my house?" Sookie asked. "Sook I thought you were dead, you're not the kind to just run off like that." Jason said defensively.

I stood up and walked to the sink to wash the dirt on the palms of my hands, and as I always did, I looked out into the backyard. I noticed my car wasn't sitting in the same place where I had left it. I felt angry and betrayed, yes it was junk, but I had worked so hard to make it the one thing I owned.

"Where's my car?" I asked Jason, the expression on his face was nothing but guilt. "You sold that too? Jason, that was everything I owned." I paused with the lump that grew in the back of my throat. "Wait no I get it, Sookie's not the kind to run off, but I am." I stomped out the backdoor before I could hear any of his excuses.

As I stomped down the dirt road into the darkness thinking of nothing really just feeling extreme anger, I bumped into a certain tall Viking vampire. Before I fell on my ass he grabbed me. "Ella." He whispered. He was holding me tightly against his wide chest. I fought against him for a few seconds. I already knew that I wouldn't be able to get away. Before I resorted to biting and scratching he dropped me.

"I never believed you were dead." He said quietly, his face was dramatic. "Nobody did." I huffed rushing past him. For no good reason this all made me so very angry. "What does that mean?" He asked, it was one of the few times I had seen him confused which I didn't care at that second I just wanted to punch something.

"What does it mean? What does it mean, Eric!" I screamed up at him. I didn't think about what I was doing. I was just feeling rage. "It means I fucking came back here for my family! But it was useless! Nobody cares about me! I'm nothing to them!" I was crying and screaming hysterically over my shitty car, but it felt good.

As tears began to stream down my cold face, I stopped myself. Eric looked at me from a few feet away. "I care." He whispered and without the look of pushed down disdain or arrogance, he could've almost been taken seriously.

"No, no don't give me that shit. You'll kiss me and say something sweet, then you'll try to kill me or hand me over to some kind of evil force." I laughed. Eric kept his eyes on my face.

"I wasn't going to let you die. I could have very easily drained you, but I held back." He said. I clapped my hands sarcastically. "Oh Eric thanks, really." I smirked. "Just leave me alone." I whispered to him. He looked at me for another silent second and then he was gone.


	18. Decisions

**_Thank you all for the lovely reviews, that's one of the things that keeps me writing. Hope you all enjoy this chapter! _**

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><p>When Eric left I felt a little better. I walked through the graveyard for most of the night. After I decided to go back to the house I made sure that I avoided running into anyone. There was not one person on this earth that I wanted to speak to at that second.<p>

I pondered over where my things were such as my wallet and my cell-phone. I also thought of the scene I had with Eric going over everything I said. I went off on him, not that he didn't deserve it, but I was used to the very quiet cool approach to dealing with Eric. Maybe he'd be disgusted by my very human emotions and leave me alone from now on, yeah right. I knew all to well I wasn't that lucky.

When I reached the second floor I went into the bathroom. I turned the water on and sat under the steady stream.

When the morning came I was sitting in my room, staring at a wall. I was still in a towel since I didn't know where my things were. Someone knocked on the door. I took a breath, as I walked to the door and answered it. Sookie was standing there with a box and an apologetic smile.

"Jason dropped this off, and he told me to give you this check, for your car." I took the box and left the check in her hand. "Give it back to him, I don't want it." I said quietly and closed the door.

I dressed in a pair of jeans, and a black t-shirt. The day passed quickly while I was doing absolutely nothing and the house was empty. I walked down the stairs slowly in the darkness of the house, it was eerily silent. The only sound in the house was my footsteps and the dull sounds of the cricket symphony outside.

In the kitchen I opened the fridge door to find nothing at all inside, I sighed and walked to the backdoor to peer out the window, and I found it was unlocked. A stab of shock sent through me, Sookie was at work and I had just locked the door. Sighing with pushed down trivial fear I walked quickly back up the stairs and into my room closing the door behind me.

When I closed the door to my room I saw tall shadow on the floor that came from the full moon cascading inside the window beside my bed. It took only a glance to realize it was Eric, simply because I had never met another Viking vampire in my life. "How the hell did you get in here?" I asked him. "I can get in here whenever I want. I own this house." He smiled. It took me a long second to register what he had said.

"Get out!" I snapped. When I said that he flashed as close as he could get to me, without knocking me over. I could smell the soft cologne on his black shirt. "Ella, I let you scream at me like a child last night, the least you can do is hear me out." Eric murmured down to me with a serious look. "No. And, I'm not a child, just very fucking angry." I hissed in his face.

Eric laughed lightly, for some reason he was being so very nice. I knew it wouldn't last long as soon as I accepted it. "I want you to be mine." He said with a generous smile on his white face. I knew what it was to belong to a vampire, I had seen it in Sookie's memories almost every time I touched her. She found it to be somewhat sexy and gratifying along with a whole bunch of other feelings I didn't really understand. I shook my head for a short silent moment trying to hold my poker-face.

"You're stupid." I muttered looking at the floor. Why the hell would a thousand year old vampire want to be with someone like me? A high school dropout, an awkward girl, someone who couldn't control her feelings if it was for her life. "You are very opinionated." He said. I sighed and pushed past him. "I'll give you a few good reasons why you should accept my offer." Eric was following me down the stairs.

"Ella, your blood is stronger than Sookie's, it's almost pure fairy blood. The only thing that is keeping you from being murdered is your human skin. But it's very breakable." He touched my face, I flinched under his freezing touch. "Once it's broken, once a drop of your blood spills, your at any vampires mercy. You need protection." He said quietly.

"Eric, I don't want you to protect me, and I don't want to be yours either." I told him. "Ell-" Eric started. "Stop, I'm leaving." I interrupted him. Eric stopped and looked down at me with a brow raised. "I'm leaving Bon Temps." I admitted.

"I bought this house because I care about you." He said acting as if I hadn't told him what I had. He slipped a key into the palm of my hand, then he was gone. I decided to stop thinking about it, I really needed to just get out of here.

I looked at the key, it was new, there was a small remote to it. As I walked out the backdoor I saw a shiny black Jaguar sitting exactly where my shitty old car should've been. There was a red bow on the hood. I walked to it and clicked the button on the remote. The engine started. I opened the door and looked at the note that was in the front seat.

_**Ella, I tried to find your old piece of junk, but I couldn't. So, I got you a gift, maybe this shall suffice.**_

As I folded the paper I rolled my eyes. Eric was incorrigible. I sat in the drivers seat for a few minutes. The gas tank was full.

I would spend the day, trying to say goodbye to Sookie. Then, I would leave. I wouldn't feel bad about taking Eric's 'gift' with me either. I locked the car up and went up to my room and slept soundly.

When the morning came I noticed Sookie leave for work. I took a shower and dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans. Then I drove to Merlotte's thinking to myself of anyway to tell Sookie I would be leaving tonight. It was hard, I just recently found out that she and Jason were my brother and sister. But, I just couldn't stay in this hectic life.

It seemed like I had only minutes to breathe before there was some kind of new death threat for me out of nowhere. It was making me insane and kind of a bitch. I just couldn't handle Sookie or Jason being angry with me.

As I pulled to a stop, I got out of the car and walked into the bar. Sam was standing behind the bar with wide eyes. I approached him with a kind smile. "I have to talk to you about my job." I said nodding. He held his hand up and shook his head. "Sookie already explained everything, get to work." He said and handed me a Merlotte's shirt. Without having the heart to deny anything I put it on in the bathroom and came out to bump into Jason.

"Hey Ell, look, I'm sorry about your car. But, Sook gave the check back and said you didn't want it." He rambled. "No, I don't want the check you keep it, but I'm not mad. That car was a piece of junk anyway, or so I'm told." I muttered. Jason smiled and hugged me tight. "I really did think you were dead too." His sentence would've seemed flawed to anyone else who had heard, but, it made me smile.

I walked to the first booth in my area, Sookie was taking orders across the bar. She looked over and smiled at me, I smiled back. In that moment I had forgotten all about leaving, maybe I could stay. Maybe the danger would be worth it one of these days and what would I do now? Go back to working all day to only go home to a shitty lonely apartment?

I worked the whole day shift and at about three in the afternoon me and Sook got off. My feelings had changed completely and I was the only person that could sabotage what I had now.

We walked outside together. Sookie looked at the Jag and turned her confused gaze onto me. "Where did you get that?" She asked, I shrugged feeling a little abashed. "Eric." I muttered and started it up before I got in. Then I remembered the other part that I was supposed to tell her.

"And, he is the one that bought the house." I said gingerly, Sookie looked blankly at me for a moment then she sighed loudly. "This is fucked up." She muttered angrily as she got into her car and slammed the door. I nodded to myself and got into my car. Sook stopped at a grocery store, I pulled up beside her.

"You go ahead home, I'm just going to pick up a few things." She said, I nodded and left. When I pulled up it was close to dark. I went into the house and saw a microwave on the table. Eric had some weird obsession with leaving notes on things. This one simply said _**You Like? **_A smile threatened my lips, I really didn't find this cute or nice, only a little funny.

I walked to the living room and sat down on the couch wondering if I should really go. Maybe I could pick up one of Eric's habits and leave a note for Sook. It was a tough question now, and I had been so sure of it last night. I looked over at a tall antique wardrobe. It wasn't there before, I knew that. I walked over to it and touched the door, my fingers slid down to the small lock. I unlatched it and opened it.

Inside there was a ladder, I went down it and found myself in some sort of metal room. I knew Eric had something to do with this. "Oh no." I muttered and climbed up the ladder quickly. If Sookie were to see his room in her house she would flip her shit. I knew that all to well, but I couldn't exactly hide it now, could I?

Making my way back to the couch I shook my head. I thought for awhile lying back on the couch and moving my feet to the beat of my own thoughts.

When Sookie came in the backdoor I sat up quickly as if I was guilty for something. I walked to the kitchen where Sookie was sitting the bags on the counter. "Hey." I muttered trying to stand in front of the microwave that sat on the table. Sookie looked at me and then down at the shiny new appliance behind me.

"What's that?" She asked raising a brow. I shot her a nervous smile. "Well, it's a…you know, microwave." I said awkwardly. Sookie moved past me to pick up the small note. "You like? No, we don't." Sookie grunted throwing down the piece of paper.

"You know Sook, I was wondering…have you spoken to Bill since we came back?" I asked her. "Yes, he's still Bill, the man who lied to me." She said quietly. I sat down in the chair and looked from the microwave to the backdoor then to Sookie's bitter expression as she put everything away.

"What do you suppose we do about Eric and the house?" I asked her. She shrugged at first but after a second she looked at me with significance. "You want me to ask Bill?" Sookie must've been rummaging in my head for that. "Eric asked me to be his." I whispered. "Gross." Sookie muttered. I nodded in agreement without hesitation.

"Okay, I'll go to Bill, if Eric shows up just..." Sookie trailed off as she walked out of the back door.


	19. Normality

I knew very well that Eric would show up so I sat on a chair next to the backdoor in complete darkness. After about fifteen minutes he showed up. I could hear his slow steady footsteps on the back porch. A smile crossed my face as he came in the backdoor. I stood and flipped the lights on. He just smiled at me from where he stood, I really wanted him to scream or at least look frightened.

"I thought you said you were leaving?" He whispered standing his ground. "You must be hearing things." I muttered. After a few seconds of awkward silence I walked to the living room to stand beside the wardrobe. He followed slowly as I knew he would. "Want to explain this?" I asked him raising a brow and crossing my arms across my chest.

"I hoped you'd accept my offer, and if so one night…" He paused walking around me slowly. "I'll carry you up to your room and lay you on your bed…" He was murmuring into my right ear from behind me.

"Stop!" I snapped and moved away from him. "What does that have to do with this?" I asked him loudly. He smiled and looked down at me as he stalked over to where I stood. "Ella, I have a feeling you would keep me all night." His smug smiled stretched across his face. "Gross." I spat and walked into the kitchen. As always, he followed me.

I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and sat on a chair at the table. Eric stood across the room looking serious all of a sudden. As he walked over to sit in front of me at the table I could see the worry in his eyes.

"What?" I asked him after a few more seconds of his intense stare. "I seriously suggest you consider my offer." He said before he walked out of the backdoor, I felt like I hadn't seen him walk away in so long.

Alone and a little sleepy I slinked up to my room to fall onto the bed. As I stared at the plain white ceiling I wondered if Eric could slip in at night and watch me sleep. That would be very Edward Cullen-esque. I couldn't stifle the laugh that crawled out of my throat at the mere thought of Eric sparkling in the sunlight.

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><p>The sun inched it's way to the top of the sky and I found myself looking out across the front yard. Sookie was making breakfast and Tara was sitting in the kitchen talking to her. I assumed I'd be working today, not that I actually knew my schedule. I went upstairs and dressed for work after a few more minutes of thinking. My thoughts roamed over the serious offer I was given.<p>

I had an undeniable fondness for Eric, that was true. He could keep me safe, he had done it enough times for me to know it was the truth. But, did I want to be his? It remained a question, the only question that kept me from jumping at the offer with feral grace. I just didn't know. I wouldn't choose until I was sure, that was certain.

As I made my way to work I found yet another note in the passenger seat of the Jag, he had sat it there last night most likely. It said: _**Think about it, Ella.**_ I sighed with frustration. If I said no, as I had many times before, he'd just persist, and he had eternity to keep on.

My work day was normal, no death threats, no weird guys giving me a look. Except for Andy Bellefleur when I asked if he was on something. It was a joke, but he didn't find it funny whatsoever. I was beginning to think that my life was maybe slowing down, maybe it was going to have a fair bit of normalcy to it.

"I'm going to need you to work overtime tonight, if you don't mind." Sam informed me just as I was about to take my leave. I held in the sigh of defeat and gave him a forced smile. "Course, boss." I muttered graciously and let my hands fall on the bar in front of me.

I saw Jessica and Hoyt walk in when I turned. "Ella, Jason told me you were back, hey." Hoyt called from where he sat. I walked over quickly holding a bright smile on my face. Jessica smiled as well.

"Well, what would the adorable couple like this evening?" I asked sheepishly taking my pen out of my pocket and holding it to the pad in wait. "B negative, for Jess and the special for me with a sweet tea." I jotted it down as Hoyt spoke and nodded to them as I walked to the kitchen where Terry was cooking. I stuck the paper up and went back to work.

After I finished my second shift I found myself outside in the pitch dark staring at the moon that was but a crescent. A smile spread across my lips as I leaned against the car. Now I had time, to think. In my weird ways I'd decide the answer by weighing the pros and cons of my encounters with Eric Northman.

The first and foremost thing that came to mind as a pro was him offering his life for Sookie and I in Dallas. Then, his blocking of my silvery death at Godric's house in the same exact night. Another was the way he saved me from a werewolf.

As I went over the cons the fluttering of loveliness my heart felt fell dead. He rejected helping me the first time I asked when I needed to find Sookie and Bill. Then there was the huge one of him leaving all of us in Russell's house and then him draining me near death. Not to mention him telling Sookie about Bill with a smirk.

"Eleanor." I jumped at the sting of my own name being hissed through the chilly night air. My body stiffened as soon as my eyes darted to Athenodora's white face, she held a smile as always, but I sneered at her.

"What the hell do you want?" I snapped keeping my distance from her. Her face fell instantly and she shook her head slowly. "I had no say in what happened, Eleanor." Her soothing voice crossed the space between us with angel-like grace.

"Stop calling me that!" I hissed at her. A frown tugged at her full lips and her eyes fell. "I'm sorry, but I demanded that Claudine leave you here, and she agreed." Her words settled quickly and my eyes shot up to hers. "But, you told her to bring Sookie?" My acid stained voice echoed through the trees.

"Listen to me, and I fucking mean it! Sookie and Jason are my family. You were never there for me, hell I didn't even have a fucking clue you existed! You didn't try to save me when you had the fucking chance! So, stay the hell away from me, and you tell all your other fairies to stay the fuck away from Sookie!" As I caught myself I looked at my hands that were glowing and looked back up to Athenodora's eyes. She looked frightened and defeated just before she turned to leave.

I got into the car and attempted to catch my breath. After a few long minutes I was fine and the glow that lit my fingers up died like a setting sun.


	20. Picking Up Strays

As I drove down the dark highway I began to feel at ease. Yes, Athenodora gave birth to me, but no, I didn't trust her one bit. As my thoughts rolled on in my head I found myself staring at a tall, extremely white man running shirtless down the road. It took a second to realize it was Eric. It just seemed like something he would never be caught dead doing.

I slowed the car and rolled down my window. "Eric!" I yelled, he didn't stop. I sighed and pulled over getting out. He was still jogging uncharacteristically down the side of the road. "Eric, what the fuck?" I yelled as he slowed looking at me curiously. "Who are you?" He asked me. I stared wide-eyed at him, he was being completely serious. I knew my day had been to damn normal.

"I'm Ella." I said quietly as he approached slowly. His eyes held an unseen before softness, and a raw animalistic glare. "Why do you smell so good?" He asked, his eyes glowing brighter. My hands started to tingle, I shook the feeling and moved back a little.

Eric moved a little closer giving a soft sniff to the air in front of him. His bright blue eyes darting around as he spoke. "Like wheat, and honey, and sunlight." His large fangs flipped out, the moonlight making them gleam white.

"Don't do that, Eric." I warned, still backing up to the car door. As I hit it I stopped and hoped he'd stop as well. He flashed in front of me pinning me against the car door. I shook with fear as he inched closer to me.

I drew my right hand back still feeling the tingling and punched him in the face. He stepped back and looked down at me like a scolded child.

"What'd you do that for?" He asked seemingly on the verge of tears. I was so taken aback by just his tone. I kind of felt bad for hitting him. "You broke my nose." He persisted looking appalled that I'd do such a thing. I held back the urge to mutter an apology. In my defense, he did try to bite me.

"Y-you're a vampire, I didn't hurt you." I defended myself folding my arms across my chest. "I know I'm a vampire." He sounded angry.

I looked up to meet his glare, and I immediately echoed it, shooting an offhanded glare back. "Well, fucking good for you." I muttered as I turned back to the car. "I just don't know who I am." The pitiful tone made me halt and turn around in the same second.

"What happened to you?" I asked him. "I don't know." Eric scoffed, he was just so unlike himself. I stepped forward grabbing his hand.

* * *

><p><em>Eric stepped on a candle in front of him. Continuing after a long second of glancing at the women that surrounded him. "I'm told your leader's name is Marnie." He said starting to pace in front of everyone. <em>

_A woman looked forward. "Really? Who told you that?" She asked gingerly, holding no contempt in her voice. "Let's just say, a little bird did." Eric flashed a lovely and sarcastic smile to the woman who questioned him._

"_So, which one of you lovely ladies is Marnie?" Eric asked seductively looking over everyone once more. "I am, I-I'm Marnie." An older woman stepped forward awkwardly. "Excellent, thank you for coming forward." Eric turned professional again with a switch. _

"_Now here's the deal Marnie this is the last time your coven convenes." He made himself completely clear. "And before you even think about agreeing and then meeting behind my back, know this. There is no behind my back. I am everywhere." Eric gave Marnie a charming smile as he finished speaking._

"_What's in it for me?" Marnie asked. "I said it was a deal not a negotiation. Lafayette, do I negotiate?" He asked, anger thick in his voice. Lafayette looked from Eric to Marnie with panic. "I'd listen to him Marnie, he tends to get his way." He said. _

_Marnie looked at Eric evenly hardly showing fear, Eric continued to stare her down. "Join hands." Marnie breathed to her coven. Not a second went by before Eric had her by the neck and sinking his fangs into her flesh._

_The coven began to chant while Eric only dug his fangs in deeper into Marnie's neck. Eric turned grabbing Tara by the neck before she staked him. _

_A blast of wind swept through the small shop. Eric looked at Marnie as she became something else dropping Tara to the floor. Everything went black for him._

* * *

><p>As I came to I realized that what I had seen wasn't in his memory, it was more like a dream that he just had but could not remember for the life of himself. He was being truthful. All the memories that he ever had were gone.<p>

I stumbled back a little at the horror I felt. Eric was looking at me with the face of pure agony and fear. I shook my head rubbing my eyes for a short second. I was exhausted from a long day and I just wanted to go home and sleep.

"Get in the car." I demanded. He looked at me blankly for a moment. "If you try to bite me again, I won't help you." I muttered walking to the car. I opened the drivers door and got in. Eric walked slowly to the passenger side and got in awkwardly.

As I pulled up to the house I saw Sookie's car in the driveway. I sighed wondering of how angry she'd be when I walked in the house with a half naked, amnesic Eric Northman.

I got out of the car waiting for Eric to follow, which he did. Silently and slowly. I walked briskly up the porch hoping to catch Sookie in a fantastic mood. I left the door open to see Sookie sitting in the living room reading a book.

"Oh hey, Sook." I said glancing back to see Eric still on his way to the porch, watching all around himself cautiously, so much unlike himself. "Hey Ell, what is it?" She sat the book down and stood. "Don't get mad, but I found Eric on the side of the road and he has lost his memory." I rushed as Eric inched the doorway.

Sookie looked wide-eyed from him to me and then back to him. Her surprise turning into the look of anger. "You can't believe that." She said quietly still looking at him. "No, it's legit, I swear." I mumbled with a slight shrug. "Why is he just standing there, he owns this house, he can just come in." Sookie was whispering to me. "Sook he doesn't remember that." I said, as soon as she realized that a wide smile spread across her face.

"As it's your first time in my house, obviously you need an invitation." She was being so very sincere that I had to hold back my giggle. "Eric, won't you please come in?" She said looking down as he stepped forward. "Don't step on the rug." She gasped a second to late. I gave a weak smile to Sookie and looked up at Eric's apologetic face.

"Sorry." He muttered moving awkwardly around the rug. I sat him on the couch and placed a towel under his muddy feet. I got up and walked to the kitchen grabbing my cell-phone out of my pocket. I scrolled down the contact list and found the number to Fangtasia.

"Good evening, Fangtasia northern Louisiana's most fantastic club, what do you want?" Pam rushed in her annoyed voice. "It's Ella." I muttered grabbing an old pot out of a cabinet and filling it with water and soap. "Oh goody." Pam said sarcastically. "What do you want?" She asked bluntly. "Eric is here right now." I said picking up the pot and carrying it into the living room.

"And what do you want me to do about that sweetheart?" She sighed uninterestedly. I sighed and sat the pot next to his feet. "He's lost his memory." I said, after a minute of silence, I hung up.

Eric was sitting on the couch looking expectantly at me as I slid my cell-phone back into my pocket. "I'm going to wash your feet, so Sookie doesn't blow anymore of a gasket." I said, he just nodded. I bent down to grab the rag and started to scrub his big dirty feet. I grimaced at the job I was doing, it reminded me of changing my cat's litter when I was seven.

"Who is Snookie?" Eric asked. I chuckled a bit before I could answer. "Her name is Sookie, and she's my cousin." I said nodding. Eric smiled and looked down as I washed the top of his feet.

Eric jerked his foot out of my hand with a small giggle. I was in so much shock that I simply couldn't laugh at this situation, I had never heard him laugh like that before. "It, it tickles." He said sitting back and letting me have his foot again. "Sorry about that." I smiled and continued my objective. I glanced up once more to find him staring intensely down at me, he looked as if he was trying to find a way to put something.

The front door behind me busted open which reminded me of Debbie. But instead there was Pam standing tall and strikingly in a short red dress. "Who the fuck is she?" Eric asked quickly jumping up from the couch. "Fuck!" Pam huffed. I backed up a little looking at Eric as he looked worriedly back at me.

"Sorry, sorry. That was rude, I'm sorry." He apologized to me and Pam. I watched as Pam saw just how different he was. She had the same expression of shock as Sookie and I had.

"What do you know about what happened to you?" Pam asked, she seemed desperately confused. Eric looked from Pam's face to mine. It seemed almost as if he was begging me to keep her away from him. Sookie came down the stairs looking at Pam and me and Eric all in her living room.

"You have to hide him." Pam said urgently to both me and Sookie. "Not a chance Pam." Sookie scoffed. "He's in danger." Pam glanced at me this time. If it was up to me I'd agree, just because of how lost and scared Eric was right now. He was different and he really was in danger. "I'm sure you'll be able to protect him much better than we could." Sookie said.

"I'll be the first place they look." Pam seemed desperate and was seemingly pleading Sookie for Sookie's mercy, all of the vampires in sight were acting so weird tonight. "Sook, Eric was attacked by witches they did this to him." I said, giving her a pleading look. "Witches?" She was unbelieving.

"Witches, no not my problem." Sookie said. "Actually you're living in his house, so it is your problem." Pam retorted placing a finely manicured hand on her hip.

"What? It's my house?" Eric asked me, I shrugged biting my lip with frustration. "Thanks a lot Pam. I'll just go to Bill." Sookie said with a simple tone. I looked at Pam as she rushed forward. Eric flashed in front of me in the same second. "Tell Bill and I will rip you to pieces." Pam threatened Sookie before Eric pushed her away.

"Be nice to her, she's Ella's family." Eric said sternly to Pam. Then he looked back to me with a small smile. Pam nodded with an abashed expression as she stood and smoothed her red dress and pulled her hair out of her face.

"Sookie." It was the best falsely nice tone I had ever heard Pam use. "I believe Bill set Eric up and sent him into that coven in Shreveport knowing it was a trap. It wouldn't be the first time he tried to get rid of Eric." Pam flashed another fake smile.

"Well yeah because Eric tasted Ella. So, Bill really did it for me." Sookie was standing up for me which forced a smile to my face. "Oh I did?" Eric smiled at me. "Yeah against her will so technically you fang-raped her." Sookie said with acid in her voice. Eric looked from Sookie who was scowling at him then to me while I was blushing at the phrase _fang-rape_. "Oh I'm sorry." Eric was sincerely sorry. I shrugged and looked back to the conflict going on between the two blondes.

"Promise me you won't go to Bill. I'm sure he'll use this as an excuse to get the AVL to sign off on assassinating Eric. I know he wants to. Eric has to stay here with you and no one can know." Pam said, I could hear the sincerity in her voice this time.

"Sook." I grabbed her arm and looked at her. "Please." I whispered before letting her loose. She looked back at Pam. "Okay." She said. "But, you are gonna have to pay me for babysitting him. If ya'll are just gonna keep messing with my life I should at least get something out of it goddamnit." The last word in her sentence most likely had gran rolling in her grave but, it made Pam smirk.

I watched Eric as he moved from foot to foot. I smiled at him without thought. He was undoubtedly adorable in this state. No one could deny that, not even me. After Pam left Sookie drug me into the confides of the kitchen alone.

"He's your responsibility Ell." She made it sound as if he was a stray puppy, which was kind of a great analogy for this situation. "I hope you know what you're getting into." She said before leaving me. I walked slowly back into the living room looking tiredly at Eric. I turned to the wardrobe and unlatched it climbing down. He looked inside timidly.

He came down and looked around at the concrete room. "Wow this really is my house." Eric said flashing a goofy smile my way. "It was Sookie's house, before." I muttered shrugging, I felt like I was just meeting a stranger and offering them refuge in my house. This man was no Eric Northman, not suave, mysterious, asinine, or incorrigible. He seemed kind of nice and ignorant, which wasn't that bad in my opinion.

"You live here? In my house?" He asked me. The expectant smile that he held made me want to smile back. "Are you mine?" He asked raising a brow. I felt a jolt inside of me. "Not exactly." I said easily moving to lean against the wall. I was just so sleepy.

"Do you belong to another vampire?" He asked losing his smile. "No." I peeped smoothly. "Would you like to be mine?" He asked, in a way that he hadn't asked before. I suddenly thought that maybe if had asked me this way before, I would've agreed. Though he was sick now, under a curse of some kind, this wasn't the real Eric Northman.

"Um, you've already asked me that before." I said shrugging, I felt like I hadn't the heart to turn him down, but in all reality I had to. "And you declined." He assumed with a frown, I shrugged weakly. "It's kind of complicated." I said moving towards the ladder.

Eric flashed in front of me and suddenly the room seemed smaller than before. I looked at Eric with seriousness. "What are you?" As he asked my memories shone with the first time I had truly met him, tall, blond, and overly egotistical. "I'm an Ella and I'm very tired, so would you please excuse me?" I asked in the nicest way possible.

"Of course." Eric held the look of deflation as he moved out of my way. I nodded as I moved slowly past him trying to keep my space in the small box of a room. His fangs flicked out, I winced at the sound. Eric placed his hand over his mouth with a remorseful stare back at me. I moved past him quickly and up the ladder, closing the doors and latching it.

As I laid in bed looking up at the ceiling I could feel something well in my chest. I felt like this could be a rather beautiful mess. It didn't seem as scary as any other thing that had happened to me. Or maybe I was getting so used to the feeling of worry and fear I had grown a tolerance for it.


	21. Lost

When the morning came I took a shower and dressed before I called Alcide. It rang twice before he picked up. There was a long ragged sigh.

"Ella?" He asked, his deep voice sounding rough in my ear. "Hey. Alcide." I said awkwardly knowing how weird it must be for me to call him after a year of nothing. "Oh my god." He muttered. "I wanted to ask a favor." I said holding the phone with slightly shaking hand. "Why don't you come by." He said. Afterwards he gave me his address in Shreveport and told me he couldn't wait to see me.

I drove to the address and looked over the house that seemed a little to suburban for him, a single man. I walked to the door feeling a little weird as I gave two short knocks. When Alcide opened the door he seemed taken aback. He looked the exact same, and I knew that I did as well.

"Goddamn." He said, I smiled in return. "I'm so glad to see you." He said grabbing me up in a tight hug. My feet dangled in the air as he squeezed me. I could smell the cologne on his shirt. But I saw no memories, which was weird. Before I had time to go into deep thought on why, he let me down and invited me in. "Sweet setup you have here Alcide." I said smirking up at him. "Thank you." He said gesturing to the couch. I sat down and looked up at him as he came to sit next to me.

"I thought you were dead." He was blunt about it. But, I smiled. "Sorry, I just, needed some me time, I guess." My excuse was shit but Alcide didn't seem to mind. "So, Shreveport, and in a suburb too." I muttered, this conversation felt a little awkward. Alcide was being a little weird and kind of fidgety, but I overlooked it, just because of the special circumstances. "Yeah, I was ready to get out of Mississippi after everything. You know." He looked pained at the memory. I nodded.

"Okay, uh you said on the phone you had a favor to ask of me." He said sitting back a little. I really wanted to just reach over and grab a hold of his hand just to probe into his memories, there was defiantly something that he was not telling me.

"Yeah, I was wondering if maybe you could take care of Eric, Sook is just really put off by him." I muttered in a rush. "Take care of him? You want me to kill him?" Alcide asked with seriousness. I felt shock in his words and I immediately felt the need to reject. "No, no. I mean take him in. He's lost his memory and he needs a place to lie low for awhile." I said. Alcide was listening when his eyes moved away suddenly.

"So nice to see you again, Ella." The voice I had heard say my name with such hate before came from somewhere behind me. I turned with a gasp to see Debbie standing no more than five feet from me with blonde hair and a sweet smile. I stood quickly looking back at Alcide who seemed well enough with the situation. Then, again, he wasn't there when she tried to kill me.

"Ella, just hear her out." Alcide pleaded behind me. Debbie smiled weakly and stepped forward. "I know that I owe you and your cousin a big apology." She said with a nod. I didn't feel comfortable with her being that close to me. "And, I would've made amends along time ago if I didn't think that you two were dead." I wondered how much she liked the thought of that.

"Debbie's been clean and sober for almost a year." Alcide said giving me the same weak smile Debbie had. I moved a little towards the door. "That's good, really. I uh, gotta go, I have work and stuff." I stumbled back towards the door feeling kind of overwhelmed and a little pissed at Alcide.

I half ran to the Jag before Alcide came out of the house. "Ella, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you me and Debbie were back together." He said. I shrugged feeling torn between guilty for blowing Debbie and Alcide off, and angry that Alcide would side with the bitch that tried to kill me.

"It's cool, hope you two have cute little wolf babies and live happily ever after." I said turning back to towards the car. He placed his hand on my shoulder. "Ella, come on." He said flashing a lovely smile my way. "Alcide, I'm okay with this, just don't expect me to be at the wedding." I said turning from him again.

"What about Eric?" He asked as I opened the door to the Jag. "He's fine." I muttered. "He's in your house?" Alcide seemed worried. "Don't worry about it Alcide." I called to him and got into the car. I drove away feeling lightheaded.

I cursed myself for being such a little bitch when it came to facing Debbie. She had tried to kill me, I know, but I couldn't just skitter away every time I came into minor contact with her, could I? I mean she wasn't the scariest thing I've encountered, and she wasn't the one that came the closest to killing me, so what was there to fear?

As I went over myself from afar the one issue of jealousy reared it's ugly head. I had kissed Alcide, okay, I had also kissed Hoyt Fortenberry and that didn't make me bitter for seeing him with tall, slim, striking, red haired Jessica. Maybe, it was just fear for Debbie that sent me running from the house instead of upright jealousy, deep down I was hoping that it was only fear.

I gave up the gun on thinking over my long trip to Alcide's house where he was harboring a murderous wolf-she-bitch as I pulled into the parking lot of Merlotte's. I clocked in and looked for Sookie. She and Tara were talking intensely at a table, I decided not to but in and just went on with my workday. The afternoon passed quickly.

When I got off of work I drove to a nearby gas station and filled the tank. I went in passing the older guy at the cash register to find the freezers in the back. I grabbed a four pack of Tru Blood B-negative and walked back to the front sitting it on the counter. I paid the guy and went back to my car.

Before I got in I saw someone standing just in the tree line across the street. Claudine retreated back into the woods as soon as I recognized her. I got into my car brushing off the creepiness. I supposed Athenodora had sent her to spy on me for whatever reason. I drove home and went inside the dark house.

I went to the kitchen putting the Tru Blood in the fridge and walking back into the living room. "Eric, where are you?" I yelled. I saw the doors to the wardrobe sitting wide-open. "Fuck." I muttered. I walked out of the house looking for Eric with no hope.

"Hey Ell." Sookie said, I jumped and sighed when I saw her standing behind me. "Oh hey." I said with defeat. "What is it?" She asked quietly. "I lost Eric." I sighed walking into the house after her. "Well, he'll come back, I'm sure." Sookie said, and for a while I sat on the couch and to my amazement worried all the while he was gone.

When I finally got up and went outside I saw Claudine on the front porch. I stepped forward. "I thought I said to stay the fuck away." I yelled at the fairy standing in front of me. "Yes, Athenodora relayed your wishes." Claudine said carelessly. Before I could say anything else to her Eric tackled her to the ground.

"Eric!" I yelled, he didn't listen to me, he just held her tightly in his grasp as he sucked the life out of her. I watched as Claudine's body changed and burst into embers in Eric's hold. Eric looked up with a bloody smile. The look of a child after he broke his mother's favorite vase, shameless but sorry.

Sookie's footsteps were heavy as she ran to my side. "Please do not tell me he just killed my fairy godmother." Sookie murmured as if the air had just been knocked out of her. I shrugged looking painfully at the awkward scene in front of me. Eric, with blood smeared all over his mouth smiling as if had done nothing wrong.

"S-sorry." He stuttered to Sookie, I couldn't hide the small smirk that tugged at my lips. Sookie looked at me angrily before she stomped up the porch and into the house slamming the door. The smirk was wiped from my face as I looked over at Eric's wide bloody smile.

"Great as if she wasn't mad enough already." I muttered slouching a little. I really was okay with the death of the fairy, it was one less I had to worry about kidnapping Sookie. Eric stood and stumbled forward with a goofy smile upon his face. I watching him with a frown. He seemed a little off, even for the new amnesiac Eric.

I stopped where I was at and looked over Eric's tall frame as he laid on the ground. After a few long seconds of him simply groaning into the dirt I stepped forward slowly and placed my hand on his shoulder. He grabbed it quickly and drug me to the ground bringing me to him and holding me there.

"Lay with me." He said in a hushed slur. I felt my heart running miles in my chest. I was nearly sure that he could hear it. "Eric, I." I muttered wriggling in his grasp. After a few long seconds he let me go and he stood up, his stance was a bit tilted. He seemed drunk, but I didn't think vampires could…fairy blood, the purest kind, well that makes perfect sense.

"You're very beautiful Ella." He said almost shyly as he walked around me. "Thank you Eric." I said quietly. He smiled brightly and flashed out of sight. I looked all around me, he was gone. I heard a whip of wind and he was right in front of me making my heart jump.

"Eric, you need to go inside now, the sun will be coming up in a few…" Before I could finish he zipped off again. "Fuck." I hissed. Then he came back giggling like a child. "Run with me Ella." He smirked, still his lips covered in blood. "Eric, the sun." I sighed moving my bangs out of eyes. "The sun doesn't frighten me Ella." He said matter-of-factly before running again. I stood and waited for him to flit back.

"Shit. Shit!" I muttered when he didn't return. I ran inside to find the living room empty and the kitchen, so I darted up the stairs straight to Sookie's door. "Sook, Sook!" I yelled, she opened the door and looked at me with wide eyes. "What is it?" She asked. "I lost Eric, again." I mumbled with defeat.

As I stared helplessly at Sookie she crossed her arms over her chest. "Good. Maybe he'll get baked and I can have my house back." Sookie said with acid dripping from her tone. I frowned. "You can't be that angry with Eric. He didn't mean to drain Claudine." I defended Eric and all the while in my head I cursed myself.

"What if it was your fairy godmother?" Sookie asked me. I shook my head and backed up a little. "Athenodora, she is…" I shrugged for a second, for some odd reason I felt like I couldn't tell her. Instead of finishing what I was saying I gave Sook the cold-shoulder walking down the stairs not looking back to her. I stopped in the kitchen and snatched a flashlight out of the drawer next to the backdoor.

As I stalked through the silent woods in search of a certain amnesiac Viking vampire, I felt cold in the haunting October breeze. My work pants were soaked at the bottoms from dew and the sun was approaching far to quickly. My hair had fallen from the ponytail I had it in for work and I looked like a mess. I pulled out my cell-phone to see it was four-fifty-three in the morning, I had to think quickly as I found myself back on the porch. Alcide's name popped up in my mind, he was a wolf, he could pick up a scent, Eric's scent.

As I dialed his number I felt another chill from the near morning breeze. "Hello?" He said groggily. "Alcide, I'm sorry to call this early and all, but I need help." I rushed feeling the oncoming pressure of finding Eric before the sun did. "Are you okay?" His voice was thick with concern. "Yes, I'm fine, I just, I need you to help me find Eric." I sighed wiping my stinging eyes. "Okay." He said, and hung up before I could thank him.

As I sat on the step in wait of my furry hero I heard the front door open timidly with a long creak. "Ella, I made you some coffee." Sookie said with a smile handing me the steaming mug. I took it and looked up at her remorseful face. "I shouldn't have said that last night, it's just that Eric has treated you so badly." Sookie said. I wanted to retort with one of Bill's mistakes, but I realized that Eric's previous actions were far worse than Bill's.

"He's different now." I muttered watching the gravel road again. "I know." She said patting my shoulder. After a few seconds she sat down next to me. "You have feelings for him, don't you?" I shuddered at the sureness in her tone, was it that obvious? I nodded brokenly. "What are you going to do when he gets his memory back, will you still have feelings for him?" Sookie asked looking casually at the yard. "No." The lie slipped easily making it sound completely truthful.

When Alcide pulled up I was grateful, seeing as the sun was reaching it's peak in the morning sky. Sookie handed me the thickest blanket she could find and hugged me tightly before she left for work. Alcide looked at me with a confused air.

"Why the hell is Eric out in the sun anyway?" Alcide asked. I shook my head. "No time for an explanation, I just need you to catch his scent and lead me to him, please." I felt the urgent need to find Eric, I was truly frightened for his safety. "Alright." He said, taking off his newly ironed shirt. I had to imagine Debbie being a nice little housewife, cleaning, ironing clothes, cooking, it was quite bizarre to say the least.

As Alcide reached for his belt I turned feeling blood rushing to my cheeks. When a white wolf trotted in front of me I followed behind him. As he reached the path in the woods he sped up and so did I. We ran for about ten minutes before I lost sight of Alcide. I worried looking from side to side. When I heard a loud laugh booming from the river I walked quickly over.

As if it were a dream Eric stood in the glistening water, naked and beautiful, smiling widely like the real Eric would never be caught dead doing. "Eric! Get out of there!" I yelled after a few long seconds of being completely awestruck. "Ella! Join me, it's beautiful here!" He called cheerfully. I shook my head. "Eric come on, now!" I called. For a second I recalled when Jason, Sookie, Hadley, and I went swimming in that same spot. How gran told Jason there were gators in the water that would bite his you know what off. A smile swept across my face with the distant memory.

Alcide changed back beside me as Eric went back under water. "He really has lost his memory." Alcide said unbelievingly. As Eric came back up his fangs shot out. "Get away from her!" He screamed with a hellish glare. Alcide bucked beside me and I suddenly felt awkward. "Fuck you!" Two naked men fighting over me was the last thing I wanted at this moment. "I will rip your fucking throat out, dog." Eric said stepping forward. Alcide still stood defensively, now even growling. I rolled my eyes unfolding the blanket.

As I looked up I saw Eric's shoulders turning a bright red. He stopped, his face changing, his eyes turning down with discomfort. "I'm burning." He murmured with pain, bloody tears welling in his eyes. "Ella." He whimpered. I trudged through the water to his side throwing the blanket over his shoulders. "Eric, you'll have to run back to the house and get into your room." I cooed to him as I walked back out of the water holding onto his waist.

"But, I don't want to go back into the dark." He pouted, I felt my heart twist with sadness at this, I didn't want him to go back either. But, I wanted him alive. "You'll have to." I said nodding. He lowered his eyes and ran back to the house. Alcide turned back into a wolf and ran after him leaving me empty handed and staring at the water around my ankles.


	22. The Best of Me

When I finally made it back to the house Alcide was standing by the door fully dressed again and I could see Eric just inside. I ran up the steps passing Alcide and catching Eric's arm. I opened the doors to the wardrobe and motioned him in. I followed him down and looked at him, trying to make sure there were no huge burns left on his skin.

"Eric, you have to stay out of the sunlight." I scolded him because I was simply afraid that I'd spend all my mornings doing this if I didn't. He just looked at me with an aggravated expression. "Now, go to sleep." I said placing my hand on his arm. He stayed completely still, and of course there was nothing I could do about that. "No." He said, the childish act was beginning to get on my last nerve. "Fine." I said shrugging and moving towards the ladder.

"Stay with me, please." The look on his face kept me glued to my spot. I had a soft spot for the new Eric, that was undeniable. As he looked at me with his large blue eyes I sort of forgot everything else. When the realization that Alcide was standing at the top of the ladder waiting on me kicked in so did my motoring skills. "Uh, give me a few minutes." I said quietly. Eric nodded watching me while I climbed up.

Alcide's expression seemed angry which changed my mood completely. I walked past him edging the door and looking back slightly to see that he followed. When we were both outside I looked squarely back at him as he looked at me. "This is bullshit Ella." He said shaking his head. I scoffed silently putting a hand on my hip. "What exactly is bullshit Alcide?" I asked cocking a brow.

"Eric Northman cannot be living in your house." He muttered, his eyes shifted for a second. "And why not?" I asked still testing the waters. "Because, it's dangerous. He's dangerous." He said lowly making his point known to me. "Just as dangerous as living with the woman that held a loaded gun to your chest." I said with a simple tone. Alcide looked down for a second letting out a ragged sigh.

"Debbie is different now." He said running his hand across his mouth. "So is Eric." I made my solid point with a bit of an arrogant smirk. Alcide looked down again, when his eyes flicked back up a smile spread across his face. "Come here." He said holding his arms out to fit my frame. As I walked into his hold I sort of collapsed into his chest. I had almost forgotten how good it felt being in his grasp. The heat and constant thumping of his loud heart, the utter security I felt.

"Ella, I can't stand you being mad at me." His voice rumbled against my cold face. I looked up at him. "I'm not mad at you." I muttered. I was mad because he took Debbie back, okay I'd admit that to myself, but I don't think I could truly be mad at Alcide for a legitimate reason. A smile tugged at his lips again as he released me. "I'm glad." He said. "Thank you for the help." I peeped as he stepped off the porch. "Your welcome." He called as he got into his truck. I walked back into the house, running up to my room and changing my wet pants.

After I was dry, I went down the stairs and into Eric's room. He was lying back on the bed sulking. It really made me feel bad to see him like this. "What's wrong?" I asked quietly. There was a few long seconds before he spoke to me. "I'm never going to be able to walk in the sun, or feel the heat on my skin." He murmured staring at the floor under his feet solemnly.

"Eric, it isn't that bad." I said quietly. He looked up automatically, his stare coming off as frigid to me. "It really is that bad." He muttered offhandedly. After a few seconds he looked up, his eyes lined with scarlet blood. "Was I really that dangerous?" He asked me. I felt abashed, he had heard Alcide, of course he had, he's a vampire.

"You were just a little obnoxious, hardly dangerous." As I lied a flash of him draining me of my blood went through my groggy mind. I wiped my eyes trying to keep my composure. "You look tired." He murmured. I smiled with a short nod. "Yeah because I spent the whole night worrying about you." I muttered. He looked at the floor with a frown.

I sat on the floor beside his bed and closed my eyes. "Eric, you really need to go to sleep." I murmured trying to keep my eyes open. Eric's cold soft fingertips ran down the length of my arm, it was a great feeling. Again I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open and also trying to find the energy to move away from this wonderful feeling on instinct. But, I had been awake for a long time, and it was funny, I was so used to staying up days on end when I lived alone, but now I was fighting to keep my eyes open…

* * *

><p>When I finally awoke I was in his bed and he was lying beside me with a heavy arm lying over me protectively. A few long minutes passed of me trying just to wake myself up. I actually wanted to stay there in his hold, feeling the calming cold that came from his skin. This truly was a first, me waking up next to Eric, and the simple fact of me wanting to stay there. I picked up his arm with strained effort and slid onto the floor beside the bed. When I was free I climbed up the ladder and closed the doors to the wardrobe.<p>

There was still a bit of light peeking through the windows and Sookie was still at work. I walked up the stairs slowly letting a long yawn slip. When I made it to my room I closed the door trying to conceal another yawn without much effort. I fell onto the bed curling up under the covers. As I slipped back off to sleep I yearned to be back in Eric's grasp. To feel him holding me there so I knew I'd be anchored to him when I awoke. It was a juvenile wish, I knew Eric wouldn't always be this way. But, the longing kept coming, I just would have to make a decision to fight it or give in when it came time…

* * *

><p>As my eyes opened I could see the blurry white face giving me an animalistic glare from the foot of my bed. A jolt went through me and I was cowering to the wall. Eric stood tall and half naked, looking at me fangs extended and threatening. After a second went by, my heart doing thousands of flips all the while. Eric stumbled back a little his fangs shooting back into his head and an innocent expression replacing his glare. "I had a bad dream." He muttered.<p>

"O-okay." I stuttered still on edge. Eric stood there at the end of the bed looking down at me. On impulse I patted the bed next to me and waited for him to sit. When he did I placed my hand on his shoulder.

_I saw Godric, the look of hatred and cruelty on his face. "You are damned." He growled_.

I drew back my hand at the ludicrous scene. Godric would never, would he? The Godric that I had met, he was kindhearted and lovely. He could've very well killed every human that wished him harm in that church, but he didn't. Eric looked over at me grabbing my attention with the thick crimson tears that coated his white cheeks. I sprang to my feet and grabbed a washcloth from the bathroom. I opened his hand and placed it there before I sat back down.

"You saw Godric." I whispered into the air that dwelled between us. He wiped his cheeks and nodded. "My maker." He uttered. I shook my head taking his hand again, thankfully this time not seeing anything. "Godric wasn't like that." I told him giving his cold hand a tight squeeze. "What was he like?" He asked. "He was sweet, and the last thing that he ever wanted was to harm anyone, especially you. He loved you, more than I can say really." I said feeling his hand wrap around mine while I spoke.

"I miss him. He frightened me, but I miss him and I don't remember him, but I miss him." Eric truly sounded like a child. The pain and fear in his voice was something that he couldn't hide, and it tore my heart up to hear. I slipped my arms around his broad shoulders and hugged him tightly. His cold bare skin was smooth against my cheek.

"I understand how you feel. I miss my grandmother." I murmured. "You do?" Eric's surprised whisper made my lips pull into a tightlipped smile. "Yes, she was really the only one that understood me, other than Sook. But, Sook doesn't get things like gran did." I could feel my eyes start to sting with kept tears. Eric's finger hooked my chin and pulled my face to his, a bit closer than I was comfortable with.

"At least we have each other." He murmured, his sweet breath brushed against my lips. I took his hand in mine and nodded. He moved over the bed to lie down on the left side. "Can I please lie down with you again?" He asked. I simply fell next to him. He placed his arm over me again and I looked over at him. His blue eyes so alert and trained on me, a smile crossed his face. This felt right, and I couldn't hold it back any longer. I would let my feelings get the best of me.


	23. Burning

The light danced behind my lids casting red lights into my vision. I opened my eyes to find the bed empty of Eric. I frowned and moved my hair out of my eyes. After checking my phone I realized I would have work today. I showered and dressed and checked in on Eric before I left. I cracked open the wardrobe to see his feet dangling off the end of the bed. I smiled and closed the door once again.

When I was at Merlotte's I was actually surprised to see Jason there. The reason behind that was his lack of appearances for the past few days. I found my way to his and Hoyt's table first. "Hey Ella." Hoyt greeted me first as always. I smiled at him and turned my gaze to Jason who looked fit as a fiddle on the outside, but I knew there was something going on with him.

"Jason, where have you been?" I asked him. "Yeah, I called you twice yesterday, you never called me back." Sookie said stepping beside me. Jason rubbed his face and moved out of the seat. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Sookie asked him. "Nothing." He muttered and got to his feet. "Hoyt can you take care of this, I'll pay you back?" He was halfway out the door before Hoyt gave him a reassuring nod.

I shrugged it off knowing Jason could handle himself just fine. I went to work and it wasn't until my break that I saw Sookie again. She told me about what she heard from Holly and that she was leaving early to meet Marnie, I saw the dark eyed woman in Eric's last memory before he lost himself. "Sook, I don't think that's such a good idea." I murmured with an awkward shrug. "Why?" She asked in her smiley way. I didn't have the nerve to tell her about before, so I just shrugged again. "Just that she might actually be a crazy evil witch, that's all." I mumbled. Sookie draped her arm around my shoulder as she walked me back inside. "I'll be fine." She said.

My shift was very long, it seemed like it would never end. I screwed up a few orders just because I had a lot on my mind, Eric, I was constantly going over everything that could go wrong with him. He could wake up and wander into the sunlight again. He could murder another fairy. He could get his memory back. That was the worst thing I could conjure up actually. I didn't want the mean, smug Eric back. Then there was Sookie, what if she was the next person to wander down the side of the road without her memory? It was all beginning to be to much to handle.

When I finally left I got a chance to think without being baffled with loud angry customers. I hoped to find Sookie and Eric at home playing monopoly or something when I showed. The thought was kind of hilarious.

Tara and Sookie were sitting on the couch eating ice cream when I walked in. I stared at them wide-eyed and worried about Eric, how would he react to Tara, or more importantly how would she react to him? I forced a smile to my lips. "Oh hey Tara." I said. She smiled. "Hey Ella." She greeted me. I passed them and put my things down on the counter in the kitchen. I simply had to wait and see how things played out.

I was in my room reading a book when I heard Tara's scream. I bolted down the stairs and rounded the corner. To see Eric's tall frame and Tara's frightened expression half obstructed by Eric's body. Tara grabbed a fire poker and began waving it about in defense. "Tara calm down, Eric stop!" Sookie was talking to them both in a stern tone. "Back the fuck away!" Tara screamed at Eric while he simply stalked toward her. I could hear him growling. I was froze into place, I felt like I should just wait. I trusted Eric, but I wasn't sure how stable he was.

I cursed myself for even thinking that way. This was Eric Northman, yes he was different, but he was still a vampire, and a confused one at that. Maybe he was more dangerous now than he was before.

Eric snatched the poker out of her hand and back up a few feet. I came in to stand beside him. "What the hell is he doing here?" She asked Sookie. "He lives here." I said on impulse. "What?" She looked at Sookie with anger. I pulled Eric by the arm with me into the kitchen.

I stood at the doorway, I could hear them, so I knew Eric could. "You're a fucking hypocrite!" Tara yelled. "Tara wait, something happened he's different, he's not going to hurt you." Sookie was defending Eric which brought a smile to my face.

"He's a psycho murdering asshole!" She yelled. "No, he's not." Sookie said sternly. "This is the fucker who sold you and Ella out to Russell Edgington. He locked Laffeyete in a dungeon and tortured him, he almost killed your cousin. You hate him!" Tara sounded as if she were nearly in tears.

When the door slammed I looked back at Eric. He was staring into the distance with a look of being taken aback. Eric had heard of his true nature and he just couldn't stomach it. At that second, neither could I.

I found myself sitting on the back porch looking at the trees. Eric was sitting next to me. "I did all of those awful things?" He asked. I wanted to deny it completely and act as if he hadn't, but he had. I nodded weakly looking back over the tree line as if an answer to all my problems would pop out.

I looked back over at Eric and resented the frown on his face. "But, you're different now." I murmured. "But, I'm capable of those things and I've caused you pain." He said. A few moments passed, I scrambled in my head to find something to say to him. Something that would defuse all of this. "I don't want to hurt you any longer." He stood and started towards the path to the driveway. I remembered the night I came back and I had screamed in his face like a child. I felt that same sinking, like I was losing all I had and I couldn't do anything about it. I loved him, and now he was walking away from me.

I sprang to my feet and ran after him. I caught his hand and looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I don't want you to go." I breathed. A whole minute passed. Eric stared down at me as if to find an answer in my eyes. When he pulled me to him I felt my whole body that was being held into place with nail biting tension sort of collapse. But, he held me up and I was grateful for that.

I looked up to say something, a few words that was lost when he kissed me. Our first real kiss. One that wasn't brought on by fear, and followed by being locked away in his basement. The gentle touch, the softness of his lips, a fire lit inside of me. A fire that screamed 'I was in love with Eric Northman.'

When Eric kissed me, I could feel myself through him. My thoughts only revolved around him, and around the fire that still burned my insides. I was tangled in lust and want. I hardly noticed being carried up to my room and laid on my bed. I could remember what he said about having his room in the basement. But, it didn't matter, any part of me that wanted to hold back was lost to the overwhelming want he felt. My clothes were on the floor and his lips were moving down my stomach when the door flew open.

Bill Compton came into my room and threw Eric to the floor. I jumped up and moved to the back wall. Their movements were to fast for my eyes to catch except when they came to an abrupt stop. Eric was holding my broken chair leg over Bill's chest. Sookie ran in and took in the whole mess. "Stop!" She screamed at Eric. He didn't listen he only held his fiery glare at Bill. Sookie grabbed my arm. "Ella, please stop him." She begged. My heart that had been racing for a whole different reason just seconds ago was now beating rapidly out of fear.

"Eric, stop." I said calmly. I didn't care much for Bill, and if Eric would've killed him right then and there I could've handled it. "Who is this vampire to you?" He asked and I had an impulse to say 'he's nothing, stake him.' But, instead I looked at Bill. "He's your king." The next thing Eric did was curious. Everyone in the room who knew the real Eric so well had to stare at this anomaly to believe it.

Fear took the place of anger on Eric's face. His jutting fangs shot back into his head and he looked down at Bill cautiously. "My liege, forgive me." He said and sunk down on one knee. I was nearly naked, Eric was kneeling to Bill, this night had plummeted downhill in less than five minutes.


	24. Numb

They took Eric away Sookie followed and I dressed quickly and caught up. When I stepped into the house Eric was looking at Bill. "Your majesty, whatever I'm guilty of they had nothing to with it." He said. I frowned at him. I wanted him in that second to be the big bad Eric Northman that had drained me. He'd kill everyone in sight and take me away. But I knew that it was to far a dream, I was stuck with a new pile of problems now. "How touching, silver him." Bill demanded and I had the crazy idea of going for a stake to jab into his chest. Instead when they put silver onto Eric and he hissed with pain I threw myself after him.

A guard caught me mid stride and I was being pulled away. "Fuck you Bill!" I screamed and kicked. I wanted to get ahold of Bill, I wanted to hurt him the way he was hurting me. Eric looked at me. "Ella, stop, you've done enough for me already." The sincerity in his voice drove me harder into the ground. I screeched as I was being pulled out of the door.

I stayed in the tight grasp of a guard for a good five minutes before Sookie came out in tears and took my hand. She pulled me home and I went numb. Eric, in this state, with Bill. He was as good as dead. I stopped talking, I stopped thinking. I stared at my hands that were clenched into fists for a long while before Sookie's quiet voice brought me back.

We sat across from each other at the table. "Bill said this was vampire business. That Eric was under the control of a necromancer, and that he was a danger." I scoffed and looked at my hands again, this is where I found comfort. Everything reminded me that I was still alive and helpless in this matter. I wondered why all this had to happen to me? Then I was wondering why I couldn't see any of Sookie's memories as she pulled me home. In a shaky motion I put my hand on top of hers. Our skin touched and nothing at all happened. No memoires, no thoughts, not even a bit of the way she was feeling. My brow furrowed with extreme frustration.

"What is it?" Sookie asked. My eyes shot to hers in a quick motion. "I can't…I can't see anything when I touch you." I mumbled. She sighed and patted my hand. "I'm sure it's just all of this stress. Now can you explain what the hell you were doing up in your room with Eric?" My throat felt thick all of a sudden and my cheeks grew hot. I wasn't planning on explaining this at all. I looked away from her and as the silence grew with intensity I stood and walked to the doorway. "Ella." "No, Sook, you don't get to ask about me and Eric, on the account of your fucking boyfriend cuffing mine in the middle of the fucking night and holding him hostage in his house!" My voice cracked with tears halfway through. As I reached the stairs I could hear Sookie following me.

I stopped just on the inside of my doorway and looked at her, she was standing at the top of the stairs and looking at me with anger and remorse. "So he's your boyfriend now?" She asked. I fell back a few feet and threw my hand up. A burst of light impacted the door shut and I was left in my room as a heap on the floor sobbing for Eric.

I spent the whole night in tears and the whole day wallowing in self-pity, what little sleep I had caught at the early hours of the next evening was interrupted by Sookie. She came into my room armed with a bright smile and a cup of water. I rolled over to stare at the wall. She sat on my bed. "Ella, I'm sorry about what happened to Eric, but I don't think Bill would kill him." I snorted out a sarcastic laugh. "Really Sookie? He wouldn't think twice about a chance to kill Eric, to think of it I'm sure he's probably dead already." The mere thought brought me back into the swallowing darkness I had just pried myself out of. "Just leave me alone." I mumbled burying my face in my pillow.

"I have to go to Jason's, he thinks he's going to turn into a werepanther." I lifted up to look at her. "He what?" This had gotten all of my attention and the hole in my heart seemed like only a distant memory for the moment. "Yep, he thinks that he'll become a werepanther because one bit him." "I hope he'll be alright." I murmured. Suddenly I felt like I had to tell her something. It was something I hadn't yet mentioned. I had to tell her because I had to remember that Sookie and Jason were my family, my brother and sister, and I needed to be there for them too. "Sook, you know how I told you about Athenodora being my fairy godmother." She had to think a minute and it was understandable because of how out of the blue this was. She nodded and waited to hear what I had to say.

"Well, I touched her, and I found out that she was my mother, and my dad was your dad, and she left me with him and he gave me to gran, and gran gave me to mom." I said in a rush. Sookie stared bewildered by what I had just said. She told me something unbelievable so I told her something unbelievable back. "I felt the same way when I first found out." I said after a while to break the silence. Sookie shook her head. "Wait, so you're my sister and your mother is an actual fairy?" She asked. I nodded moving myself to look at her evenly. "Well." Sookie's furrowed brow was softened and she smiled. "I've always wished you were my sister." She murmured. My heart that had been shattered into a thousand pieces melted at the sound of this.

My arms were around her neck in a tight embrace before I knew it. "Sook, what am I going to do?" I asked her in a whisper. Her arms folded around my waist and she squeezed. "Ell, you're going to survive, I've never seen anyone do it better than you." I laughed pulling away. In that second I decided I would stop wallowing and take all I had to at least try to get Eric back.

I showered and dressed quickly and found myself staring into the woods, under the full moon and with the glare of an animal on the prowl. I walked on deeper into the brush knowing I'd emerge on the outskirts of Bill's yard. I didn't know exactly what I was going to do when I got there, but I was sure it would be something dumb and impulsive.

As I stepped into a clearing I saw Sookie, and to my surprise Debbie and Alcide. Sook pointed Jason's shotgun at me and I recoiled as an instinct. When she saw it was me she lowered the gun and looked up at me. "So, why wasn't I invited to the party?" I asked. Alcide smirked my way and I spared a halfhearted smile for him. "We were on our way to a meeting, with our new pack." Alcide sounded bitter. Debbie threw her hands out in distress. "We can trust them." Alcide said. "You know you really shouldn't be wondering around here tonight, full moon and all, never know what could be out here." Debbie sounded oddly enough worried for our safety. It earned her a reassuring smile from Alcide.

"No kidding." Sookie said. I simply crossed my arms and looked at them. "You lose Eric again?" Alcide asked and a pang went through me. I turned and went in the direction I was going. I could hear them behind me. "Where the hell is she going?" Alcide asked. Sookie came to my rescue. "She's helping me look for Jason. So werepanthers…" The rest was faded voices behind the sound of my angry footsteps on the fallen leaves that covered the dirt.

As I reached the edge of the woods I could see Bill standing in the front yard looking up at the stars, he was alone. I was to on edge to breathe as I reached the space between the driveway and where he stood. "Ella go home." He murmured. I kept walking until I was two steps away from him. He turned to me and with all the hate I felt for him I couldn't ignore the sense of dread rolling off of him and felt like I should ask about it. "Go home before I call my guards to escort you." He said again in a very careless way. I barred my teeth. "No, you will fucking talk to me!" I growled at him.

"About Eric I assume?" He seemed to stay in his neutral state of mind while I stared daggers at him. "What about him?" He asked. "Why do you need to kill him, give me one good reason?" I asked before my breath began to fall short.

"_Do you have anything to say?" Bill asked Eric looking down at him where he knelt on the grass. "According to my progeny, I am, I was a barbarian thug who's never respected your authority. I don't expect you to show me any mercy." He said, his calm tone was more innocent than cunning or smug, he was being noble. Bill's face contorted in remorse. "But, surely you don't wish to die." "No, but I don't wish to live this way either. The vampire I used to be, I have nothing to say in his defense." Eric looked sick, he looked as if he damned his old self. "I will accept my sentence." He said without fear._

I came back to the surface breathing heavily with tears dampening my cold cheeks. I was in the hold of strong arms. As I looked up and saw Bill's face I pulled myself back. He was going to kill Eric, what I said or did wouldn't matter. Eric was going to accept his death with open arms, and that made me hate the both of them. As I turned to leave I stopped and turned to Bill. He looked at me as if he was sorry, but I knew better.

"You know Bill, Sookie is still in love with you. But, what I can't figure out is why? You've turned into this loathsome over liked asshole. It's funny too, Sook will most likely still have you after you take Eric from me." I was numb enough to mean it, but I wasn't sure if I had at that moment. I walked back into the woods. I kept going and going until I found myself sitting beside a towering old oak. I held my stomach and looked at the dirt under my feet. I couldn't find it in me to cry, I was to numb.

"Ella." My eyes found Eric's tall stature standing in the darkness. His face lit with a smile. I couldn't find words, or even my breath as I rose. I stood there motionless while he came to me and pulled me into his grasp, kissing me and setting every inch of my body on fire. I was pulled onto the ground and seemingly into a dream of beauty, fire, and earthshattering love.


	25. Silver

Eric's body lay next to mine in the clean sheets of my bed. I had my eyes on the ceiling and he had his eyes on me. I felt like I was somehow linked to him now. Almost like we were the same person, it was stupid, but I had never felt this happy or safe in my whole life. It was a feeling I wanted to seal up and save for later, at a time when I was at my lowest just so I could feel the complete utter difference.

"I love you Ella." Eric murmured. The words had been said before, in a dream I believe it was. It scared me then, but now I smiled. "I love you too Eric." I whispered. I turned to him and he placed a kiss on my forehead. A few minutes passed where we just laid in each other's arms. "Do you want me to remember again?" Eric asked, his voice quiet and full of wonder. I stared into his eyes feeling lost. I had thought about this before, and my conclusion was no. But, for some reason I lied to him. "Yes, of course I do." I breathed.

"I wouldn't be the way I am right now. Once I know who I am, everything I've done. I couldn't possibly be the same." He said. Then he took me off guard. "Would you still want me then?" My heart leapt, everything Eric had done. Saved me, hurt me, made me want him and hate him all in the same few seconds. Could I lay here with that Eric? Could I love that Eric?

"I had been gone for a whole year, it was only fifteen minutes to me, but it was a whole year to you. My own brother had sold my car because he thought I simply took off. But you, you bought my gran's house, had it restored, and even bought me a new car. You took a chunk of silver to the back to save me. You warned Sookie about Bill. All of this you did in a maniacal way, but you did it for me." I spoke to him in a hushed tone while he just watched my face.

"When I think about all of that, I see the Eric who cried over his maker, and the Eric who had helped me find Sookie. But even that Eric doesn't match up to you and how good you are." I whispered and placed my hand on his cheek. He held my hand there and smiled. I buried my face in his chest and fell off to sleep hoping I didn't have to face anything else about that subject anytime soon.

When I awoke it was near evening. I showered, dressed, ate, and I even cleaned up the house. By the time I was done and sitting on the couch in the living room it was time for Eric to emerge. When he did he kissed my neck and sat with me. We watched TV together and as peculiar as it was it felt nice. I snuggled next to him and enjoyed our time together. When there was a knock on the door I got up reluctantly and told Eric it was okay.

When I opened the door to find Bill standing there I moved and didn't ask what the black bag he was carrying was for. "Hello Ella." He said in his normal way. "Bill." I gave him a curt nod. I was far from accepting him, he was still an asshole in my book. Sookie joined us with a smile. "Bill, hey." She said. It was easy to tell how she felt about him. But, I didn't hold it against her.

Eric came into the foyer and took his place beside me holding me at his side. "My liege, I thank you again for my release." He bowed his head. I pinched him and he looked at me with a question. He apparently was as hung up on Bill as Sookie was. I rolled my eyes and looked back at Bill. "So what's in the bag?" Sookie asked. Bill walked to the living room and placed the bag on the table. He sat down and looked at us. Eric and Sookie sat. When everyone trained their eyes on me I sat in between Eric and Sookie and stared impatiently at Bill.

"As you know there is a necromancer in our presence. She has escaped from my hold and now we are sure she will try to force us to meet the sun. The only way to prevent this is to silver ourselves. Even then, it could be a possibility to escape and kill ourselves under her spell." I didn't want to hear this. I got up and went up to my room. Eric came in and closed the door. I was sitting on my bed and staring out the window. Eric sat at the end of the bed and looked at his feet for a while.

"It won't be that bad." He whispered. I scoffed and looked at his back. "You're going to be shackled in silver while you sleep and you're trying to tell me it's not going to be bad?" He turned to me and caught my foot. He pulled me down the bed until I was under him. "I'll be fine." He murmured and kissed me. I kissed him back, but I still felt uneasy about making him suffer. "I could ask Sookie to do it." He said.

Sookie did it. I stayed on the couch watching the wardrobe doors that were so carelessly slung open. I was worried for him. I knew that he needed to be restrained but I didn't want that for him. When Sookie came up she looked at me. "He wants you." She muttered. I nodded and made myself get up and venture down into Eric's room. He was lying on the bed. Silver over his neck wrists and ankles, it all anchoring him there to the bed. He was gasping when I came to his side.

"Oh, Eric I'm sorry about this." I murmured sinking down next to him. He looked at me and I could tell, he wasn't worried about the silver or the evil witch that was hellbent on making all vampires face the true death. He was worried about me, that was something I found lovely and annoying all in the same second. All my life only a few people worried about me, my mom, my gran, and Sook. Only one of them were still around and lately Sookie had a lot of other things to deal with. "Would you stay with me?" He croaked. I nodded and laid down next to him. I didn't sleep. Eric didn't either, but it must've hurt for him to speak because he was as silent as I was.

"The spell hasn't come." He whispered. "Take the silver off." He added. I sat up and looked at him. There was still time for Marnie to cast the spell. I shook my head. "No, there is still time." I said, he gave up and looked around the room. We sat there for a while.

When the room began to shake I looked at Eric. He started to thrash under the chains. The spell had been cast it was plain to see. I sat over him and watched as he turned into an angry animal. "The sun." He gasped over and over again. "No Eric!" I said. He looked at me with unkempt rage. "Take the chains off!" He screamed. I grimaced at him and pushed down on his chest harder. "No!" I screamed back. The hate and anger in his face, it made him like before, maybe even worse. I could tell it was Marnie's influence and it made me despise her.

When Eric calmed I got up and climbed up the ladder without talking to him, he was to in his head to hear me anyway. I checked the window, it was still light out. I stayed in the kitchen, I was to shaken to go back down. Sookie came in and smiled as she placed two glasses on the table and poured chocolate milk in each. I smirked at her as she sat in front of me.

"Hiding from Eric?" She asked me taking the glass in her hand. I laughed. "Not exactly hiding, just waiting." I murmured. "So how is he?" She asked. "He is fine." I muttered. Sookie looked at me with worry for a whole minute. "Are you fine?" She asked. I shrugged and looked at the table, why was I feeling so weird? Was it because Eric was in fact dangerous when he was under Marnie's influence? Or, was it about him getting his memory back? Both of the topics bothered me, but I couldn't exactly relay one of them to Sookie as an excuse. "I am in fact fine." I lied and got up from the table to gaze at the back yard that was dark under the dull crescent moon.

I went back to Eric's room to find him asleep. I smiled and slid down the wall onto the floor to watch him sleep. He was so calm, so silent, his face vacant of any emotion. When I got to my feet to leave again he awoke. "Ella." His voice was soft. I stood before him not sure what I should do. "Maybe I should get Sook." I muttered to him. "No, please don't leave me again." The pleading in his voice kept me glued to where I stood.

"How should I do this, then?" I asked him. "Just rip it off." He said. I stared at him in horror, this wasn't really a bandage situation. My grimace made him smile. "Just do it." He whispered. I ripped off the chains around his wrists and the one around his ankles. Then it came to his neck, I placed my hand around the end of it and braced myself. I pulled it off and Eric screamed something in another language that was most likely an insult. As he caught his breath he smiled again. "Thank you." He breathed and with the same breath Eric groaned in pain while I fell back a few steps. "I'm sorry, but you said." I mumbled. "No it's fine I just haven't fed." He muttered. After a few seconds he tried to get up only to fall back to the bed.

He needed to feed, and I knew a Tru Blood wouldn't exactly heal him, but I knew my blood would. Before I fumbled over myself to shove my wrist in his mouth I reminded myself that he wasn't that old Eric that took all he had to hold back from draining me completely. But as I looked down at him lying there with his eyes closed and the ragged wounds on his neck that stood out so tremendously, I didn't care. "Take my blood." I murmured. He looked at me, astounded by what I had offered. "Please don't say that if you don't mean it." He whispered. I smiled and sat next to him. I hushed the screaming voice in my head that told me I was so fucking stupid for trusting him. He sat up and placed his hands on each side of my face. He looked at me intensely. "Take something silver, hold it in your hand and use it if I should do anything unwanted." He murmured with seriousness.

I took a piece of flesh covered silver from the floor and held it at my lap. "I won't betray you, ever." He murmured into my ear as I leaned against him. "I trust you." I breathed shakily. His lips brushed my neck, it tickled a bit but the sweet sensation was swallowed by the sting of his fangs entering my flesh. I grabbed his shirt and buried my face in his shoulder. It took a few seconds and when he pulled away I could breathe again. His eyes stayed on mine as he bit into his palm and held it out to me. "We will be one." He said. I didn't think or even speak, I simply took his hand and drank from it.


	26. Realization

I had been high once in my life. When I was sixteen I smoked pot with a kid from work. It was great for a while, then I was really hungry and ended up asleep on gran's couch with cheetos in my hair. Nothing could compare to what I felt with Eric it seemed. The only bad thing about it, was that it was over to quickly.

We were lying in my bed I was staring at Eric's lips, the lips that had kissed me so gently, the lips that were stained with my blood only hours ago. They were beautiful and I loved them. I kissed him and collapsed again next to him like a lifeless body. "If only it could be this way forever." I whispered into the air above me. I could only wish for that. "Let's run away together." Eric said. I giggled and took his hand in mine. When I looked at him and found the seriousness in his face I kissed his hand and sat up to look evenly at him.

"Eric, I can't run away. I did once, and I wish I hadn't." I said quietly watching his smile turn down slowly. I placed another small kiss on his hand before I went on. "We are going to stay right here, and we'll face whatever comes at us." I said. Eric sat up next to me with a quickness only he could master. "But we still have time, we can go now and I'll never have to remember I can always be this way." He said holding my hand against his chest. I only thought about Sookie and Jason, instead of marveling at the silly but beautiful notion that Eric could stay this way. Sookie and Jason needed me, or I needed them at least.

The last time I ran away I lost gran. I wouldn't let something like that happen to me again. "Eric, I can't go." I said on the verge of tears, thinking of gran always made me faint of heart. Eric gripped my hand that was cradling his and squeezed it gently. "I only want to be with you, forever." He said bringing my hand to his face. I was all but forced to look deep into his smoldering eyes, as beautiful as his lips but more accusing than anything. I wanted to be with Eric, and he wanted to leave. He knew as much as I did that when we dealt with Marnie he'd get his memory back and we wouldn't be like this afterwards.

Only an hour later I found myself sitting in Bill's house between Sookie and Eric. They were both on edge about going to war at Bill's side while I was rolling my eyes at the whole shebang. They were being so serious when I knew that Bill wouldn't let us help him, his pride was way to overwhelming for anything like that. Eric was holding my hand which he hadn't released since I demanded he let me go long enough for me to dress myself. Sookie didn't dare let her skin touch mine, that only led me to believe she was thinking about things that she didn't want me to know. I could've touched her, but I didn't need to because everything she felt was displayed so prominently on her pale face. Bill came in the room and looked at the three of us, he didn't even try to hide his exhausted glare while he stepped forward and zipped up his well fitted leather jacket.

"What a pleasant surprise." He lied quite badly which wasn't his usual demeanor. "We are here to fight with you." Sookie said with a smile. I leaned my head against Eric's shoulder and watched as Bill turned on his charming smile. "Fight with me?" He asked trying to play coy with her. "Against the witches." Sookie said bluntly. Bill's face fell with exhaustion once again. "Sookie, this is not your battle." Bill said. "No, it's not and I tried to explain that to her, but she insisted." I said, my tone mirrored Bill's exhausted expression. Sookie elbowed me and I shot her a smug smirk.

"I want to fight for you my majesty." Eric said and I struggled to keep my face clear of the grimace I was about to give him. "I want peace." Bill said. I looked at him for a long moment, he seemed honest. "But you're prepared for war." Eric assumed. "Of course, but I'm not convinced we will win." Bill was honest about that too. "War isn't about believing you can win, it's about being willing to die for something you believe is worth dying for." Eric said proudly. "Maybe I'm a little less inclined to gamble with people's lives than you are." Bill retorted bitterly starring daggers at Eric. "Bill we are offering to help, so I think you should just accept instead of being a-"

"What Ella is trying to say is that we can help. We have powers, now granted we are not in perfect control of those powers but they have saved us and others from some pretty dire circumstances." Sookie said cutting me off. "Sookie, you both could die." Bill said seeming nearly on his last straw. "Call me crazy, but I'm willing to die if it means keeping a group of people I know and love from being eradicated in the name of hate." She replied strongly. Bill sighed and looked over at me. "What she said." I muttered with a slight shrug. "Thank you." Bill said with a sarcastic smile, he knew all to well he wasn't going to be rid of us that easy. "My liege." Eric breathed next to me. "My…Bill." Sookie said awkwardly. "What they said." I muttered with an amused grin.

We stood in the dark brush silently awaiting Marnie. I stood with Eric and Sookie, and Pam stood a few feet away from us. Butterflies were assaulting the walls of my stomach. The cemetery was still and quiet as always, crickets made a symphony close by as I watched Eric's smooth face. He was excited, it was easy to see, his blue eyes were opened wide watching the cemetery ahead of us with great contentment. Pam looked over at me with a smile that looked more like a sneer. Sookie stood as still as a statue next to me, there was no doubt she was as sickened with nervousness as I was.

We waited until Bill called us out. I could feel my stomach twist with worry as I found myself standing behind Bill next to Eric and Sookie in the middle of the graveyard close to midnight. "Tara?" Sookie asked bewildered. I looked at the small army of people Marnie stood in front of. Tara was indeed standing in the middle of them. "I still believe we can achieve a peaceful resolution." Bill said ignoring everyone but the woman who had taken Eric's memory away. Marnie only stood across the small dirt path staring daggers at Bill, she didn't seem to convinced. "Describe this peaceful resolution to me." She said stepping forward with a scowl. She was an older woman, her face holding a tempered expression most of the time. Her eyes were dark and narrowed in hatred. Most of the group around her looked as worried as I felt, I recognized Holly and Tara, the rest of them were strangers to me, and didn't exactly look like witches.

"We will never harm you again, anyone that has done so has been commanded to desist, or they will face the true death." Bill said with a bitter tone. "In return I only ask that you remove the spells from my two subjects here." He added gesturing to Eric and Pam. "You say you are willing to execute those who have harmed me but you bring them to me and you ask me to remove spells I placed on them in self-defense. All for a promise that I'll never be harmed again." Even I who thought she was an awful excuse for a person could see her point. Bill could see her point as well, it was audible in his voice. "Yes." He muttered.

"I have your word for this?" She was merely playing a game with Bill, her smile couldn't fool anyone. "I swear it." Bill replied. When Sookie stumbled forward a few feet I felt my heart fall to me heels. "Bill she's casting a spell." Sookie warned loudly. "Now!" Bill called and out came the cavalry. Heavily armed men in black duds, every single one of their guns trained on Marnie, the sight of it made Marnie's entire group step back in fear, but it didn't budge Marnie herself. "You may have dominion over us, but not over the living. Surrender now and no one will be hurt." Bill said with a stern tone. As red dots gathered on Marnie's chest she looked up and laughed. Eric disappeared from my grasp and after a few seconds I could see him across the way holding a dead woman's heart in his hand. It was the last sight I could see before a dark thick fog covered the whole graveyard.

I reached at my side and caught air. Sookie, where the hell was she? I moved a little bit in the hopes of finding her. Nothing, I was standing in this swarm of thick fog all alone. I reached out again in hopes of finding someone, when I grasped air I began to feel my stomach twist even tighter. "Ella!" I heard Sookie screaming, she was quite far from me. "Sookie!" I yelled stumbling into the fog even more. After at least seventeen steps into the fog I began to panic. Where the hell was everybody? It was me and the ground and thick blinding fog. I stumbled on keeping my hands out in front of me and hoping the fog would recede.

When I heard Sookie again, this time much closer I felt relief, she was only a few feet from me. "I'm not a vampire you idiot!" She yelled. When I saw the bright burst of light I knew it was her and where she was. I ran towards her. "Sook-" My voice was caught in my throat. The soaring pain struck in my ribs, the rest of my body felt numb. I crumbled against a headstone and grabbed at my ribs. The pain drew tears instantly and my breathing grew short and quick. When I saw my hand covered in dark blood I gasped slipping down the tombstone a little more. I felt hands on my shoulders and then I was lying on the cold ground and staring up into Sookie's tear stained face. Her hands were pushing loose strands of hair from my eyes, then I could feel pressure on my wound, the pain grew even more intense and I cried out for Sookie to stop. When the pain engulfed my entire stomach I just held my breath and clutched the dying grass around me. Then it all began to fade almost as if the fog was coming back.

"Oh my g-" _I saw a bright light, beautiful and teasing._ "Ell stay with me! You've got to sta-" _It flickered against the drops of dew on the thick blades of grass close to my face. I could smell a sweet scent of wild flowers close by._ "Alcide, help me she was sho-" _I could feel the warmth on my skin, and no pain at all._ "Ella you have to stay with me pl-" Alcide's voice boomed in my ears. "Ella." Bill's voice came a brief second later. _The light and sweet smells came once more only to be shifted with pain and darkness just a moment later._ "Please don't die." Sookie sobbed close to my ear. _With that it all stopped and I was lying in the bed of flowers that I used to braid into my hair when I was a child. The sun was blazing and I could hear gran calling us home. _

"_Ella come on!" Sookie called. Jason was always the first to get home, it was because he was the fastest. Sookie and I ran together, hands tight and feet moving almost in unison. When we reached the porch I could see gran sitting on her rocking chair. Her hair in a neat bun and a pleasant smile on her face. I went to her and slid onto her lap. She rocked for a while letting the soft wind speak their lovely whispers through the tall trees. "Ella, you know you have to go back." She murmured running her fingers through my hair. "I know gran, I just want to stay a while." I said smiling up at her. "Oh, but you've stayed long enough my dear."_

As I opened my eyes I could see a ceiling, the ceiling to the living room in my gran's house. Alcide came into view and I smiled at him. "You made it." He breathed. My fingers traced the line of his jaw, I had to make sure this was real. "I did?" I murmured, it seemed real, but feeling five years old again seemed just as real as this. I gave the world a few more seconds to settle in around me. When I sat up I felt my whole body was fine, no pain at all. I looked around and found Alcide's eyes again. "Where's Sookie?" I asked. He sat down beside me. "Bill took her in the other room, he's trying to calm her down." Alcide said quietly.

"What the hell happened?" I lifted my bloody shirt and found my whole stomach clear of any wound. "You were shot." Alcide said curtly almost as if it was him that was shot. "Oh." I muttered. After a few moments I thought of Eric, I knew he could protect himself, but why the hell wasn't he here? Bill and Sookie came into the room. Sookie looked a real mess, her hands were covered in dried blood and her face was red and puffy from crying.

"Where is Eric?" I asked her. She ignored my question and took me into a very violent hug. I looked wide-eyed at Bill and Alcide both and they shrugged. What a big help they were. Sookie only wanted to crush the life out of me while Bill and Alcide stared. "Well, I'll go look for him." I said, trying to get out of the chokehold Sookie had me in. "No, Ella I will go look for him. I have my men on it already but-" Alcide jumped from the couch and stared at me with anger.

"Am I the only one who thinks this is batshit crazy? You just came this close to dying and because of fucking fangers." I didn't know how to reply to that, I just wanted to hit Alcide, but since I was still being manhandled by Sook I couldn't. I looked at Bill who was giving me a remorseful smile. "Like I said, I will go look for him." Bill said turning from me. Alcide sighed and gave me a stressed glance. "Ella." He said, his tone cutting through me. "What?" I asked Alcide. He shook his head, his expression filled with to many emotions to decipher. "Nothing, I'm done." He muttered and left without so much as another glance in my direction. Sookie let me loose tears still pooling in her puffed eyes.

As I sat on the couch I realized who had saved my life, the same man that was going to look for Eric. I ran out of the front door and found Bill standing on the porch looking at the dirt drive that was still filled with a haze of kicked up dirt from Alcide's hasty leave. "Bill." I said. He turned to me with the tired look he always gave Sookie. "Thank you, for everything." I said. He nodded with a smile. "Anytime." He murmured, and then like Alcide he left. I sat on the steps in the cool night air thinking over the last hour of my life, Bill was possibly not that bad after all.


End file.
